


Naruto: The World as We Know It

by aika111333



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-08-16 21:52:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16503386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aika111333/pseuds/aika111333
Summary: The fate of the Alliance Shinobi lies on the last battle against Madara Uchiha. Something changed the world as we know it. Setting the story 5 years after the Fourth War, Naruto, Sasuke & Sakura put their lives on the line to save what they believe, what is right for the world and above all, for peace. But there is something dwell within the secret of truth within the truth.





	1. Chapter 1

** PROLOGUE **

A blonde man stood before her, staring ahead at the beast that was destroying their precious village. Wind carried the hot chakra, intense with negative energy; that much she could sense. Even in starless night, she could see the village engulfed in flames; houses burning forming thick smoke covering the sky. She could hear the cries and wailing sound of the villagers calling for their love ones; crying for those they have found survived or those that have died.

“I need to seal the beast,” the man said.

 _Impossible. With what?_ she thought. She looked at his back, thinking of the heavy burden that he must carry. Even though he was the one who started it all, he was still just a man.

“You can’t do this alone,” she argued, “Let me help you.”

“For the sake of the village and its people… For peace,” he quoted.

It was those damn words again. She hated him for saying it every time. He was willing to risk his life for peace, yet, he was just one man.

“Wait-” she cried.

But he was already gone from her sights.

* * *

Sakura woke up, gasping heavily. Her face was beaded with sweat. Her breathing quickens. She couldn’t find her voice but her hand was trembling and reaching for…

Nothing.

She glanced at the surrounding of her chamber. Everything was the same as before- no existence of a burning village or a beast.

“A nightmare,” she breathed slowly.

Sudden tears rolled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped it away, erasing any trace of her weakness. It was the same dream- a beast destroying a village, a blonde man stood in front of her, telling her that he needs to seal the beast. There was nothing she could do but to witness every moment of death.

A loud knock on the door startled her and she quickly covered herself with the bed sheet. There wasn’t a need to guess who it was.

“You’re up,” said the man who was leaning against the door.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she answered coldly.

“Get dress. It’s time.”

Sakura clinched her fist. She hated being used. Unfortunately, this was a deal she has made with _him_.

“I’m not strong enough and my body is sore. Too much has been taken from me. I need time to mend my chakra.”

“There’s no need for that. That seal on your forehead is enough. Come, or I’ll drag you out, regardless if you’re dressed or not.”

The man was unfazed by her excuses. He was very slick and his choices of words were too good to be true. Sakura knew that he was the type who could not be easily defeated, especially with words. Everything that came out from his mouth was bad influence. _Pain_ was an example of it. The man had used psychology and manipulation as a weapon to poison other’s minds, turning everything that is good into bad. Indeed, that very same devil-

“Obito,” Sakura looked directly to his disfigured face, especially at his eyes: Sharingan on the left and Rinnegan on the right. Those eyes could be a blissful gift or a curse, depends on the user. Such luck for someone like Obito has owned both. “You’re playing a game that you cannot possibly win.”

Obito neither utter a word nor move. His eyes followed her as she moved behind the screen. And when Sakura was finally dressed, he still calmly stood exactly where he was, all gloomy and staring back at her. It was not those eyes that scared her. His silence did. It looked as though he has nothing to say but in truth, his mind was calculating with either strategies or selected phrases that could intelligently make her eat her own words.

“What makes you say that?” he curiously asked.

“Well, first, you’re an army of two. If you plan to defeat the current Alliance Shinobi, it is obviously you will lose. Don’t you think that make sense?”

“Hmm… You’re right. We are short of manpower. But years ago, I managed to tremble the world of shinobi and instil fear with Akatsuki.”

Indeed. It all started with the Akatsuki, a group of rogue ninjas. Their sole purpose was to collect the tail beasts. Pain who was blessed with Rinnegan was the leader of that group. He, along with his comrades, had caused chaos throughout not just Konoha but other hidden villages as well. He was the one who attacked Konoha in attempt to take the Nine Tails Beast, and he boldly attacked the village at point zero. But Pain wasn’t the real leader. He was just a puppet. Like the others before him, he was used. The one who pulled all the strings was responsible for everything that has happened in this shinobi world. And that bastard was standing right in front of her.

“To collect the tailed-beasts,” she added.

“Yes. Collecting those beasts was troublesome and I have reasons. Unfortunately, it came at a price of my fellow comrades.”

Sakura scoffed, “what rights do you have when calling those you used as ‘comrades’? Was it worth it?”

“I wouldn’t use the word ‘worth’ in a negative way,” he cocked his head to the side and grinned. “I would rather call it beneficial because all in all, it came along with war, fear, blood, death and of course, _Jūbi_.”

Five years ago, Obito declared war against the five great Shinobi countries to draw out the Eighth and Ninth Tails Beasts so that he could steal them under the Kages’ noses. It was all for the sake of his plan: _Tsuki no Me Keikaku_ , The Eye of the Moon Plan. His intention was to combine everything and use this jutsu so that the shinobi world is him to rule. And to do that, he needed to revive the Ten Tails Beast.

Those were the dark days and Sakura preferred not to discuss it openly. It has brought nothing but a constant reminder of the past. The very reason why she was here with Obito was due to that war itself. She knew it, and he knew her. She lost her cool and threw a punch at him but it went through him. He suddenly caught her arms and pulled her closer to him, eyes were levelled to his. She could feel his breath on her skin. His touch was as cold as the dead.

“Know your reasons for being here,” he smiled a devilish smile, “Know your pain and everyone else’s, Sakura, for you are my responsibility. You agreed with those luscious lips of yours.”

“Stop it! Let me go!”

Obito released her and she clumsily fell to the floor. Their eyes glared upon each other, promising nothing but hatred.

“You know… there is something in you I truly admired about. Something stronger and deeper than the Will of Fire, and I’m very tempted to push your limits to find that out. However, now is not the time. And as mean as you think I am, I shall not fall to that level.” He held out his hand to her as she struggled to stand up. She found a strength to brush his hands away. “Stubborn to the core.”

“Tell me, Obito. Your plan, _Tsuki no Me Keikaku_ , was all of it a hoax?”

His silence gave it away but Sakura waited patiently for his answer anyway.

“You’ll see soon enough,” he said and walked away, expecting her to follow.

Sakura watched as he disappeared down the corner of the hallway. She was right. Uchiha Obito was the type of man who could not be easily persuaded or defeated with words or skills. Everything with him was still vague. The time was neither right nor perfect to strike back. Patience for retribution was the key as she has the intention to strike the enemy where it will hurt most.

* * *

 

** PART 1 **

_One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go._

_Whether it’s guilt, anger, love, loss or betrayal._

_Change is never easy._

_We fight to hold on and we fight to let go._

_If you’ve been hurt until it breaks your soul into pieces,_

_Your perspective in life will definitely change,_

_And no one and nothing in this world could ever hurt you again._  

                                                                                                                                                                                               -Mareez Reyes

 

* * *

** CHAPTER 1 **

 

UCHIHA RESIDENCE,

KONOHA

 

Uchiha Sasuke looked up to the full moon as he pressed himself into deep thoughts about the village, the Uchiha clan and most of all, his brother. He had spent the whole afternoon walking around his destroyed hometown. This place was filled with his bloodline once.

Now, there was only him.

Konoha’s Military Police Force, or whatever was left of it, was a system that was originally founded by the Second Hokage. Underneath the good intention for the village, there was an ulterior motive for its existence- to monitor the Uchiha. Sasuke felt that Senju Tobirama was being unfair and callous, knowing that the Uchiha are very proud and sensitive clan, which he was left to wonder if the Second should be blamed for everything that has happened.

 _The Senju’s fault?_ he thought.

Clouds covering the moon, casting shadows upon the landscape of Konoha. After the Fourth War, Sasuke was given a choice: to relocate or maintain his residence at the Uchiha’s hometown. He questioned the intelligence of this village; why would he want to give up his rights to this huge piece of land for a smaller place?

Then again, everything here was a scar memory of his childhood. The massacre of the Uchiha clan was executed by none other than Uchiha Itachi- the very same man whom Sasuke loved most. To him, Itachi was a true shinobi and admittedly, a better shinobi (in intelligence, techniques and skills) than anyone else he knew.

Revenge was sweet until to the point where he had finally learned the truth. It was the very reason why he was still alive- his brother’s love for him was greater than the village itself. The sole purpose for his survival of the massacre, according to his brother’s plan, was for him to live, be the hero of Konoha and cleanse the Uchiha Clan.

“But plans don’t go accordingly as planned,” Sasuke muttered as he thought about what his brother had gone through. “Nīsan is not to be blamed.”

Sasuke walked towards the porch for a short break. Moulding chakra and forming it with nature ability was easy. He managed to take it to the highest level of _Chidori_ , namely _Kirin_. But what he has in mind was a combination of a new technique: moulding chakra with the bind of fire and lightning elements. He knew that combining two elements as one has stronger effect. Fire and wind could create supernova. Wind and water could create a hurricane if properly mould. But to mould chakra and combine two elements with, was never heard of.

_Never heard of but not impossible._

He sighed. His backyard was a mess. Due to his practices in trials and errors, the place was now filled with damage woods, spinsters, burnt ground and deep holes. He did plan to renovate his house, including this backyard, on his own. But his schedule was affixed with missions and meetings with the Hokage and the Kages of the other Villages that he didn’t have the time to do it. So, instead of ‘cleaning things up’, he ended up making more of a mess.

“Everything seems so vast and empty,” he spoke out loud. His eyes suddenly drifted on a tree to his left. He sneakily concealed his weapons underneath his sleeves. As soon as he sensed it, he threw three shuriken at the target. The shuriken deflected and fell thud to the ground.

“Naruto, ka? What do you want, _dobe_?”

“Asshole! Who are you calling ‘dobe’, dobe?!” The loudest and the most unpredictable shinobi shouted back. “And what kind of ‘hello’ was that?! One doesn’t throw things when one has a visitor! You supposed to offer food or tea, ya know?!”

Sasuke glanced up at his only friend and was amazed as the bastard looked like a thing that clings onto a tree while complaining about etiquettes. He shook his head and said, “Seriously? If you have something important to discuss, speak now. Or else, go away.”

Naruto jumped out of the tree to greet his nakama. He was still in his gear- orange and black tracksuit. He must have returned from a mission that Sasuke decided to pass. He felt the mission was not important enough. So, he left it to his friend instead.

“I was on my way home,” Naruto smiled and composed. “So, I decided to check on you.”

Uzumaki, Naruto- The boy whom everyone once hated and despised. After the Fourth Hokage had sealed the Kyūbi in him, most of the villagers resented him for the death of their beloved leader, as well as for containing the beast that had destroyed their home. Some of them looked at him as though he was the tailed beast itself. But after the Akatsuki invasion and the Fourth War, people see him as the hero of both Konoha and the Shinobi world. Whenever people come up to greet him, he would smile and stay humble as always. But Sasuke saw through all that façade. A gentle smile comes with a struggling life. He knew exactly what was in Naruto’s heart as well as his suffering.

_A shinobi means to endure._

“You’re not a very good liar, dobe. Your house is on the other side of the village. What kind of On-Your-Way-Home route did you take?”

“Ah,” Naruto scratched his head, “you noticed it, huh?”

“It’s not that I noticed it. It’s basically common sense.”

“Why you-”

Sasuke threw a kunai as a sign of challenge. Naruto immediately caught it with his bare hand. He tightened the knot of his forehead protector while Sasuke prepared his Kusanagi sword. There wasn’t a need to use the Sharingan. As always, Naruto was the impatient one and made the first strike. The kunai, binding with wind chakra, contacted Sasuke’s sword. Metal against metal- every stroke produced a cling sound. Naruto jumped in mid-air, throwing everything that he got. His punch and kick were faster but Sasuke managed to block and avoid all of it. Naruto then lowered his body closest to the ground and pulled a slide kick technique, attempting to make Sasuke stumble. But his nakama gracefully jumped away. Sasuke twirled his body in mid-air, sword aiming down to his sparring partner.

“ _Kage_ _Bunshin No Jutsu_!” Naruto chanted and two clones appeared. One of them helped forming Rasengan while the other jumped to attack Sasuke at point blank as a distraction.

Sasuke used his sword, binding it with lightning chakra and slashed it out at the clone. Without holding anything back, Naruto jumped and hit his friend with a Rasengan. The Uchiha screamed in pain.

“Yes, I did it!” Naruto celebrated. However, his celebration was cut short for what was originally thought was his friend has turned out to be a wood. “Eh?! A replacement jutsu?”

“I don’t believe it. After all these years, you still fall for that same old trick. Are you really the _Hero of Konoha_?” Naruto followed Sasuke’s voice. The Uchiha stood on the roof, observing.

“You, effortless piece of shit! It’s damn annoying that you’re up there and extremely calm! Now you’ve pissed me off! I may not be on the top of my game today since I’ve just returned from a mission that _YOU_ lazy to take on. I’m definitely going to kick your ass, buddy!”

“In a million years,” Sasuke smirked.

And so, the two strongest of Konoha continued to battle it out. Neither one of them giving up their weaknesses, up to the point when neither of them has any energy left to fight.

“What’s truly on your mind?” Sasuke asked. He sat on the roof to catch his breath. Naruto came to sit beside him. He wiped the sweat out of his brows, took off his jacket and put it aside.

“It’s Sakura-chan.”

Those two phrases with a deep tone voice indicated that his friend was in a serious mood to talk. He studied the expression of the blonde shinobi who was currently staring ahead at the moon. Not too a while ago, he did the same thing. But he was thinking about the past, whereas Naruto was concerned about the present and future, and especially about Sakura. The boy that once hated the village for regarding him like dirt, managed to find peace.

 _Naruto is being Naruto_ , he thought.

“What about her?”

“I’m getting restless,” Naruto confessed. “We need to find her. I can’t-”

“What did you find out from the mission so far?”

“Eh…?” His expression was dumbfounded at the sudden change of topic. “Well, nothing that is important. The Kazekage wanted us to deliver a top-secret parcel to the Hokage.”

“No news about that masked man?”

“Afraid not.”

“So how are we to find her?”

“I don’t know! Look, it’s been five years. FIVE YEARS! There’s been no word, no evidence of him or Sakura-chan. Not even a whisper or a trace! We must find her! I can’t-” Naruto choked. He clenched his fist and finally lowered his head and voice, “I can’t sit here while that trash held her as hostage.”

“Neither do I,” Sasuke claimed as his eyes focused on the moon.

“Do you know that Sakura’s father met me almost every day and asked if there was any news about his daughter? I hate to see the disappointment on that man. If only I get my hands on that son-of-a-”

“Uchiha Obito is a person you mustn’t underestimate. He is a very skillful man.” Sasuke tossed and twirled his kunai in the air. “It puzzled me; why did Sakura decide to go with _him_? It’s a bit odd that everything suddenly has stopped after her and the Jūbi’s disappearance, don’t you think?”

“What are you indicating?”

“ _He_ gained Sakura by his side. But to what use of her, that I have no idea. The Fourth War purpose was a diversion in attempt to steal the remaining tailed beasts. The chance of success was promising. What puzzled me is why didn’t he make another attempt to steal it again? Why did he stop?”

“Knowing that it was difficult to take Uncle Bee and I out, they laid out Plan B: take a piece of Kurama’s and Gyūki’s chakra for their eye thingy plan.”

“You mean _Tsuki no Me Keikaku_? That has nothing to do with Sakura.” Or maybe it does. Sasuke’s finger twitched. Truth be told, his instinct never fails him, but he simply couldn’t understand the link between that plan and Sakura. It didn’t make any sense at all.

“What about Orochimaru? Does he have anything on Akatsuki or Obito?”

Sasuke shook his head. “Nothing that we already know of. Days after Sakura disappeared, I went back to the cave where my brother and I fought Kabuto. Unfortunately, his body was gone. There wasn’t any trace.”

“It must have been that _White Zetsu_. That Kabuto held very important information. He must have knowledge on the whereabouts of Uchiha Obito. In no condition that the enemy would let his body lying around.”

“Having the vital key gone, I hate to be the one saying this, but it’s a dead end. Just like you’d said. There wasn’t even a trace or a whisper. Even Jūgo couldn’t find that snake through his nature abilities.”

“It’s like everything stops,” Naruto agreed.

“Look. We don’t know their current location or their plans; that is if they maintain their purposes. Our chance now lies with their mistakes. One mistake and we’ll know it,” Sasuke affirmed. “But we have to prepare just in case things get bad.”

“Sasuke, I’ve been thinking…” his tone of voice was deep again.

“What is it?”

“Did Sakura-chan say anything to you before she,” he paused again, “she was taken?”

Sasuke didn’t answer immediately. The thoughts of Sakura’s last words puzzled him the most. He studied Naruto’s expression again and wondered if he deserves to know the truth. He thought about telling him, but decided not to after analysing his friend’s state of mind.

“No, she didn’t,” he lied smoothly. “By the way, don’t you have a date tomorrow? With that girl from the Hyuga Clan?”

“Eh?! How did you know?!”

“Words got out quite quickly in the village.” Sasuke jumped off the roof and landed perfectly on the ground. Naruto followed but he tripped into a hole. He recovered as quickly as possible. “A little advice, be worried about yourself and your date. Leave Sakura’s whereabouts with the Anbu intelligence. Now go home, Naruto. Tomorrow is another day. You better be prepared.”

His friend ignored his word and enter his house without permission.

“Hey, can I stay overnight here? I’m too tired to walk home and I’m dying for some hot bath and a nice soft bed. I think I’m going to borrow your guest room for tonight.”

 _Another freeloader_ , he thought. First, it was Suigetsu. Then it was Karin and now, this bloody idiot. The only way to get rid of these freeloaders is to charge them at an extreme cost.

“WHAT?! But I’m your best friend!” Naruto declared.

“So?”

“So, it’s free! I freakin’ deserve it! I did your mission FOC, ya know!” He waited for Sasuke’s reply but nothing was given. “Bah! Fine! I’ll go! You suck as a host anyway.”

Sasuke returned to his training. He concealed his smile and quickly maintained his seriousness after that.

“Dobe,” he called just before Naruto was about to leave.

“What now?”

“We’ll get Sakura back,” he promised.

Naruto smiled to that. Not too long ago, it was him the one who promised Sakura-chan.

“Ah.” 


	2. Chapter 2

 Dinner was splendidly delicious. Naruto complimented to the chef for making the best ramen in town. Then again, Ichiraku Ramen was always his favorite.

And tonight, was special.

As confident as he was in every battle he had, he was nervous as hell when it comes to dating someone. This would be his first official date and already, he was running out of topic to discuss! His eyes kept reverting to his date and every time their eyes meet, he would quickly look elsewhere.

Hyūga Hinata was looking exquisite tonight. She wore a purple v-neck dress, exposing her long neckline that brought out color on her pale smooth skin. Her updo hair decorated with flowers, and the high heels made her look like an elegant lady. She didn’t wear thick makeup as she preferred the natural looks.

Naruto, on the other hand, was shabby in his orange tracksuit.

“I’m s- sorry,” said Hinata. Her hands clamped together in sheer nerves.

“Whatever for?” Naruto queried.

“I- I overdressed for tonight’s occasion. Oh, don’t get me wrong! Tonight, is special. I wanted to dress special... for y- you.”

“You don’t have to apologize!” Naruto smiled guiltily, “I was the one who should be! Well... me being under-dressed and all... I-”

“But I should have known that you wanted it simple. I- I’m really sorry!” Hinata paused in her steps and bowed apologetically.

Naruto quickly bowed as well. It wasn’t an intention, but as they regained their posture, he accidentally peeked down onto Hinata’s neckline. Something in him snapped. And their eyes met once again.

“The Hyūga clan has chosen me to be their leader as the original heiress,” she said. Knowing that Naruto has nothing to talk about, she decided to break the ice. “I- I thought my sister was going to lead, but they’ve changed the decision. I wasn’t con- confident and in truth… Well… They said I am to lead my clan until I decide to retire and pass onto the next given heir or heiress,” she blushed.

“That’s great! They’ve finally acknowledged you,” he pulled a two-thumbs up. “Without a doubt, you will be a great clan leader. I’m sure of it! Congratulations, I’m very proud of you!”

Hinata knew Naruto would say that even though it wasn’t what she was hoping to hear. Such confidence from the man who has saved the shinobi world. How she wished she could be outspoken and able to speak whatever that comes to her heart and mind. Her lack of confidence always got the best of her. It was harsh; from the deeds of her father’s high expectations and grueling trainings, to the time she was kidnapped, and up to the point where her father decided to deem her as a lost cause, making her younger sister- Hanabi- as the new heiress of the clan. Then the war happened and her cousin, Neji, was the one who led the clan. Unfortunately, he died saving her while she was saving Naruto. It was a tragic end to Neji’s life. One simply could not forgive _that_ man’s sins.

Yet nothing could compare to Naruto’s sad life. During the war, in a moment when they were connected, something triggered in her mind and she saw a vision- a sort of sneak preview into Naruto’s earliest memories. She felt his hardship and because of that, she was tempted to ditch the leadership role. She would rather want to be with Naruto because he has no clan and no one to build a family with. The only heritage he has was a name- Uzumaki.

Clouds partially covered the moonlight casting shadows on their path to Hyuga’s main mansion. To Hinata, it wasn’t an issue since she has the _Byakugan_. Naruto, on the other hand, kept stumbling on stone paths and into a small drain. She giggled shyly to that clumsiness of his.

“Well, here we are. I hope you have enjoyed yourself as much as I did,” Naruto smiled genuinely while scratching his head, trying to figure out how to say goodnight.

Hinata thought the gesture was cute. Then disappointment consumed her, thinking if this was going to be the end of it. She didn’t want it to end. She loved him so much that she wanted to scream her heart out but that would freak him away. She wondered if she should make the first move.

Just before the date, Ino did advise her about ‘meeting the end of the bargain’, whatever the hell it means. She had mentioned about men expecting a kiss at the end of a date and something about a ‘wet tongue’. Hinata puzzled herself with the cryptic words and when she finally gave up, she asked Ino about it again. But her response was: _You’ll figure it out soon enough_. It wasn’t helpful to her.

Naruto let his sights lingered to her house, the light, his feet, and the night sky; practically elsewhere but her. He was waiting for her to move.

She was waiting for him to kiss her.

The level of the awkwardness was building up by the seconds and if neither one of them make a move, someone from the Hyūga clan would get suspicious.

It was now or never. Hinata wet her lips with her tongue. She then closed her eyes and leaned in, lips puckered and ready for the action. Few seconds has passed and nothing happened. She opened her eyes and found that Naruto was leaning back. His face was shocked, the kind of reaction that one never expected to be kissed.

“I- I’m sorry! I- I thought-” Hinata stuttered, bound to shame for life thanks to Ino’s advice.

Moments passed and neither one spoke a word. Naruto avoided looking at her. His features were more serious than it was before. The awkwardness grew tremendously and Hinata suddenly knew exactly why- he wasn’t ready.

“Na... Naruto-kun. It’s ok. It’s just our first date. You need time, right? There’s always second time,” she joked.

“I’m sorry, Hinata. I didn’t mean to ruin this date. I really want this to be perfect. I,” he breathed out a tired sigh, “You can hit me if you want to. I’m such an idiot.”

“You really missed her,” she blurted. “You miss Sakura-chan, don’t you? You wouldn’t ask me to beat you up if you do.”

Naruto didn’t answer but his sad smile gave it away.

“I just don’t understand why she chose that bastard over us. It isn’t like her to decide so suddenly and turn against us. That’s not Sakura-chan.”

“She must have her reasons. I’m sorry that my team couldn’t be of any help. Shino, Kiba and I did our best trying to find her.”

“Don’t say that! You guys did great. Everyone did. It’s just that I couldn’t stand the fact that she’s with _him._ I don’t even know the reason why and it has been eating me with questions ever since.”

Hinata remembered what happened on that day. From her view, Sasuke and Naruto were running towards Sakura, fighting off the enemies. Sakura was caught in the middle, trying to stop both sides, but then there was a brief exchanged. Not in punches but rather in mumble words, and she thought it was no value of information. Indeed, she saw everything but her gifted eyes couldn’t read lips well enough. She was itching to know what it was too.

“The last word she said, right before she was taken, was that she was sorry,” Naruto explained, “That was it. As if that would explain her reason to leave _me_.”

Hinata noted the strain in his voice and the fact that he used ‘me’ instead of ‘Konoha’. Yet, there was something in Naruto’s explanation that bothered her thoughts.

“What about Sakura-chan’s words to Sasuke-kun?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” Naruto was taken aback. “I was the last person she talked to on that unfaithful day.”

“Except that it wasn’t you. From the angle, I saw it was Sasuke-kun. Right after you were knocked away, I saw Sakura-chan mumbled something to him. It was just a moment but-”

“But what?!” Naruto cut her off before she could explain further.

Hinata jumped at his sudden burst of anger. The friendly eyes that she knew very well turned into an intense stare. He grounded his teeth, waiting impatiently. It was as though he would eat her alive if she didn’t tell him what he needed to hear.

“Sakura-san’s expression was serious. And Sasuke-kun wasn’t the type to sit still either, but he did. I couldn’t catch her words but I did manage to get one phrase.”

“What is it?” he demanded.

“It was your name.”

* * *

The moment Naruto slammed the door to his apartment, he wanted to turn around and storm into Sasuke’s mansion. He wanted to question him so badly and then hit him in the face for leaving a vital information out. Five years. He was searching for Sakura for five damn years; searching for any clues that would lead to her. And those clues were kept from him by the very person whom he trusted most.

 _So much for friendship_ , he thought.

 ** _Naruto-yo... I sense your anger..._** A deep tone voice warned through his mind.

“I’m sorry, Kurama. I can’t handle all these deceits. You know how it was like for me back then,” he said as he lay back on his comfy couch.

**_I know... If what that Hyūga girl said was true, then you understand what we must do._ **

“Ah... We need to find out what Sasuke knows; what he and Sakura truly hide from me.”

**_Wake me up when the time is right..._ **

It was so easy for Kurama to say when he didn’t seem to care much but his interest. He would make a comment and then sleep right after he has done talking. Naruto grinned. Kurama may say that he didn’t care physically but emotionally he did. And the fact that he agrees to help Naruto with the trust issues of Sasuke evidently proved that he does care enough about the bond.

Naruto silently analyzed Hinata’s information. And truth be told, Sasuke seemed suspicious because every time he mentioned Sakura, the Uchiha would pull himself into deep thoughts, avoid direct answers about her and then quickly change the topic. He always mentioned to leave the matter to the Anbu. Yet, there was no news since. The thoughts of Sasuke didn’t bother to have a concern about Sakura immediately debunked as he did make a promise that they would get her back. An Uchiha never breaks their promises, this was certain. However, last night was revealing. It was obvious, Sasuke has been lying to his face.

“Sakura-chan,” he sweetly whispered her name, “just what are you trying to hide and make Sasuke lied to me all this time?”

Naruto decided not to lose his cool. He would do what it takes to make Sasuke spill everything on his own terms. Once he got what he wanted, he would punch his friend in the face for wasted his time.


	3. Chapter 3

Obito stared at a lifeless body. It was covered in nothing but white cloth. He did everything in his power to maintain its fresh look by keeping it locked in the special space- time jutsu: a unique dimension where he could teleport in and out whenever and wherever he wanted to, as well as storing several other bodies to which each shall play its part.

He walked closer to the body and gently touched its cheek with his fingertips. He did nothing more than that. To maintain its freshness, the body mustn’t be tampered with, hence, required an absolute of proper handling. The older the body is, the more fragile it would get.

He used his Sharingan to see if there were any damages on the one that matters most. So far, there was none.

 _What were the odds?_ he wondered.

His project should have been done and over by now. But what were the odds that his plan didn’t go as it was supposedly planned? First, the loss of his comrades- one after another was defeated and killed. There was Deidara, defeated with an unworthy self-inflicted death that pretty much killed only himself. Uchiha Itachi was next to go. He was a talented shinobi whose life was unfortunately conflicted between choosing the Uchiha clan and the village. In the end, he chose to protect the village and his baby brother. Obito has no issue and was glad to help out during the massacre, since it gave him hundreds supplies of Sharingan. The only problem he faced was that of all the shinobi, an Uchiha could be troublesome if they got in the way of his plan.

And Itachi was an example of it.

It was intriguing that an Uchiha came up to him one night, asking for his help to kill his own clan. The deal, however, was not to lay a hand on Konoha and his baby brother. It brought curiosity to Obito’s mind that he managed to learn Itachi’s truth. No matter how many services he did for the Akatsuki, Itachi’s loyalty would always remain as a spy for Konoha. Despite the difficulty of reading his expression or his end games, he was, indeed, a double edge sword, and skilful one at it too. The man was the kind of shinobi that could level Obito’s, to the point that he had to be on the edge and calculative at all time.

Then, there was Nagato. He was a mere puppet who failed to claim the Nine Tailed beast. The worst part was that the idiot had used the _Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu_ to revive the people of Konoha. Nagato was the strongest. He was gifted with Rinnegan and he has _pain_. It was impossible to lose. Obito had high expectation of him. However, Nagato lost his own battle and everything crumbled down into pieces.

A lost in battle and a betrayal, could only mean one thing- a change of heart. That jutsu was originally part of his plan. He could have revived these bodies if it wasn’t for that damn Naruto and the Ninth Tails.

Obito stared at the body again.

 _It will be soon,_ he thought. And like the wind, he brushed it away and activated his jutsu to return to reality, or what he seemed to believe it as a fake one.

“He finally appears.”

He grinned to the familiar sweet honey voice and turned to find Sakura leaning against his desk. It was as though she has predicted where he would appear next, to which he believed it would be impossible to sense as the stubborn girl didn’t have such abilities. It was probably her strong intuition.

He relaxed and walked over to the desk to collect his gloves. He could feel her glares attached on his every move. It would be too amusing if she believes in herself that she could defeat him. How he wished he could mess around with her emotions as easily as Sasuke. Unfortunately, the kunoichi was too stubborn and smart. It would take more than that to mess that thick skull of hers. On top of it, there is a thin line that he doesn’t wish to cross.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the basement now?” he merely asked out of boredom.

“ _He_ calls for you,” Sakura went straight to the point without a second of bull.

“You could have just sent Zetsu up instead of wasting your energy.” She didn’t say anything further but kept staring at the floor and sigh only once. Out of curiosity, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t trust _him_ ,” she confessed.

“And it’s my problem?”

“Obvious, isn’t it? That you don’t trust him either.”

 _Here it is, yet again_ , he smirked and wore his gloves. The pink-headed kunoichi who believed that she could manipulate him and break down his walls.

“It is obviously true that I don’t trust him, but he is my backstabbing ally.”

“Allies don’t backstab their comrades,” she countered.

“Oh? And what of Nagato? What about your precious Sasuke, hmm?” he lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “And above all, what about you?”

His slither-like voice wasn’t a threat, but what he said did. Those words finally caught her attention. He could sense that she was desperately trying her best to hold off her tears in front of him.

“You claimed to say that comrades don’t betray each other,” he continued to press on the topic. “May I remind you that you are the one who turned your back on the Leaf and the Shinobi Alliance five years ago?”

“I did it to protect them,” she spat.

“Still, a betrayal is a betrayal. In a world of shinobi, greed is absolute. It defines who we truly are, both as a human and shinobi. Betrayal is an expectation. Only fools fail to see what was coming.”

“To remind me of my past, that was terribly low of you,” she bit back.

“Did my words hurt you?”

“No,” she answered coldly and walked away. He quickly grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him again.

“I’m not finished with you yet,” he gripped her arm tighter and shook her hard. “Who do you mean by _them,_ huh? The Leaf? The Shinobi Alliance? I’ll have you know, I don’t believe a crap about you wanting to protect them. I refused to believe you actually care about them. I know you well enough that the only reason you’re here is because of those two boys you’ve dearly left behind.”

“Your words are like venom to my ears! Let go of my arm! NOW!” she commanded.

“Who, I wonder. Is it that young Uchiha Sasuke? The boy who left the village to gain power to defeat his brother? I’ve already told you the truth about Uchiha Itachi, right? You deserve to know his pain. Everyone does. He has the right to destroy Konoha.”

“But he didn’t!” she struggled to push him away.

“True. And Konoha was lucky because of Itachi’s will and love for the village. Imagine, without those, Sasuke would have destroyed everything- the people, the Will of Fire and that Jinchuriki named Naruto.”

“Strangely as it sounds, I agree with you,” she snared, “Your words may be twisted and vile, but indeed, it’s the truth. Betrayal is part of the greed and has its absolute cause.”

“I’m glad that you finally understood,” Obito chuckled as he released her arm and walked away.

Sakura fearlessly rushed to block his path. Her jade-green eyes met his. He cocked his head slightly to the side and waited for her to counter him with her words.

“Yeah, I’ve finally understood about you.”

“Me?” he puzzled.

“I, too, refused to believe in your crap. _The entire world is mine to control_ \- I doubt that is the reason you’re doing this.”

“Oh?” he arched his eyebrow. “Do pray tell, my dear.”

“It’s not the question of why. It’s a question of whom.”

“Enlighten me.”

“What was her name?” Sakura smiled a devilish smile. “Rin, was it? You’re willing to throw everything that is in this world for her. You’re willing to change the course of this world to an alternate one so that she can live? It’s not the world that you want. It’s her. It will always be about her. That’s your true intention, isn’t it?” Silence followed. She caught Obito’s left eye twitched a little. That was a well-received reward. And to that, she smiled and continued, “Indeed. You and I both did what we do best- betray our village and pursue our greed for the cause of our dear ones. Let me ask you something, Obito. Do you think she will love and recognise you in the alternate world? Will she be the same Rin you once knew?”

“Don’t talk as if you know her!” Obito burst with anger.

“Don’t talk as if you know ME, OR Naruto, OR EVEN Sasuke-kun!”

The Sharingan eye of Obito’s changed to the level of Mangekyō. He was tempted to put her down with his genjutsu. It was a useless attempt. Genjutsu doesn’t work on her anymore. He grinned at first. And then he laughed to his heart content.

“You’re never in the right mind, even when it comes to Rin,” she commented.

“You’re an interesting little thing,” he placed his palm on her cheeks, his gloved fingers brushing her smooth skin, caressingly. He challenged her to look him in the eyes again. Eyes that were so green that one could confuse it as earthly with turquoise colour. “I was wondering why you’ve tormented yourself with questions just to challenge me. Perhaps you wanted to get something out of me, no? Or maybe this is your guilty pleasure?”

“Guilty pleasure?”

“For far too long I am without a woman. If this is your habit, then you’re my entertainment.”

Sakura slapped his face and he had let her on purpose. Indeed, there is a fine line that is not allowed to be crossed. The pink-headed kunoichi believed that she was on an equal level with him. He grinned proudly at Kakashi’s accomplishment, for his enemy has brought up such a strong-headed and courageous woman.

“Know your place!” she spat.

“A typical naïve of you, my dear. But my thoughts of pleasuring a woman is limited only for one. And she is not in this world.”

“I-” Sakura was dumbfounded. That was an indirect slap to her face. Of course, everything that he did was an act out of love for Rin. “I don’t get you. Even in death, how could you love her still? This undying love for her… I don’t understand it.”

“You don’t have to. It’s already shown on your beautiful face.”

Obito and Sakura walked through the poorly lit hallway. Her hand automatically looped his arm as he guided her down the spiral stairs that would lead them deeper into the basement.

“You and your puzzle words,” she muttered.

He suddenly halted at the last few steps and turned to face her. “You’re truly conflicted with your feelings, aren’t you?”

“You’ve said it yourself. I don’t have to understand it.”

“That’s not my advice. Let me ask you this, Sakura. When the time comes, who will you be in love with?” he continued, not giving her the chance to answer, “And when you finally answer that question of your heart, are you willing to do anything to bring back the one you have lost?”

“Lost?” she was puzzled.

He stood closer and whispered to her ear, “Because the moment you’ve answered your heart, it will be too late. _He_ will have your precious killed. Death is inevitable for those who betrayed him. The question is not why or what. It’s a question of whom- Uchiha Sasuke or…” his words lingered, “…Uzumaki Naruto?”


	4. Chapter 4

If Sasuke has a connection with Sakura, there must be a way of communication. Naruto has been itching to learn how and who the accomplices are. So far, he has narrowed it down to Suigetsu, Juugo or Karin. Then again, it could be all of them since they are Sasuke’s men. He needed a proper plan that couldn’t be traced back to him. Thus, he decided to pitch a faux intel.

A week ago, Naruto requested a favour from Shikamaru who was closed to one of the Shinobi from the Sunagakure in the Land of Wind. He told him everything he had learnt. Shikamaru was immediately alarmed, suspicious and fear that an Uchiha would betray Konoha again, but Naruto debunked it, chose to believe that Sasuke would never betray Konaha. He was assured that Sasuke was hiding vital information about Sakura and her whereabouts. If there was any, he wanted to know the details. He knew the risk as it’s involving an Uchiha. Nothing could escape the Sharingan but if Sasuke and Sakura did talk about him at the last moment of the battle, he didn’t want to be left out.

“Are you certain of this?” Sasuke asked in a manner of doubt as he glanced through the message once again.

“We’ve received this information from the Sands,” said Tsunade. “They reported that a woman with pink hair has been spotted in a village closed to the border in the Northern highlands. When the Sand’s anbu asked the villagers to describe her features, it was different from what they noted. They were not certain if it was Sakura, but they reported it in anyways.”

“Where is Kakashi?” he asked.

“He’s in the Land of Lightning, meeting with the Raikage. We’ve sent the message to him. He’ll be back next week at most. And since he’s not around, I need both of your opinion on this.” Tsunade glanced from Sasuke to Naruto and waited for either one to speak up.

_Kurama..._ Naruto called.

**_Ah... I’m already on it... I don’t sense anything... yet._ **

_Tell me if you do._

“I don’t think this person is Sakura,” Sasuke answered, “It’s too weird.”

“How so?” the Hokage questioned his reasoning.

“It has been five years since the Fourth War. We didn’t hear any news about our enemies’ whereabouts. And all the sudden, some villagers claimed Sakura has been roaming around a village up in the Northern highlands? If she had made her appearance, those bastards would still be around, accompanying her at all times. The report only stated her. She may be a highly skilled kunoichi and one that is gifted, but if she were to be against us, she wouldn’t walk around a village or in an open field so freely. There will be someone with her... always.”

“What makes you believe those Uchiha are by her side?” she asked as she crossed her arms.

“Because they will not make a mistake by allowing anyone to remember she was there. If they are walking around a town, their top priority is to compel the whole village that they- including Sakura- don’t exist.”

“What if they did make a mistake?” It was Naruto’s turn to ask, “What if they forgot to compel one of the villagers?”

“Plural. The report stated ‘villagers’. Besides,” Sasuke returned the message to the Hokage, “no one can escape a Sharingan user. And if she is to be on our side, she would know what to do the moment she has the chance to escape.”

“And what would that be?” he asked, fishing for a clue. His friend’s silence was testing his patience. He was tempted to yell and make the Uchiha spilled all the information, but there is a line he respected and did not wish to cross.

“Sakura would know what to do. She is strong and a smart girl. She _has_ a plan.”

And just like that, Naruto knew something was up. It wasn’t Sakura’s characteristics that his friend has just described. It was a statement that she has a plan all along- the one that doesn’t want to include him.

All these years, he had thought that she was taken by the enemy against her will. There were terrible rumours about her. Some people regard her act as a betrayal the moment she chose the enemy instead of the Alliance. Others were confused and angry. And soon enough, her name was tainted as an enemy of the Shinobi Alliance. This has angered him most because they didn’t know her. They made a judgement on her without understanding who she really was.

“She has a plan…” he mumbled to himself. His heart was breaking. Sakura chose to leave both him and Konoha because it was her choice. And Sasuke was the only person who knew the reason why.

**_He knew... but he’s not going to say it... Naruto-yo, ask him about the anbu spies on Sakura..._ **

“What about our anbu report? They must have something on Sakura-chan. Or do they still have nothing?” he asked impatiently.

“If what Sasuke said is true,” Tsunade acknowledged, “compelling would be the way to make anyone disappear. We must conduct a physical test on our anbu spies. I’ll have the Yamanaka clan to take this task.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Sasuke claimed, “I’d already requested a Yamanaka to do mind screening every time our spies return home from a mission.”

“Without the acknowledgement or my approval?!” she scolded. "It’s one thing to do things on your own, Susuke, but it’s another to go behind my back. The last time I checked, I’m the Hokage. What makes you think you can parade orders around this village?!”

“The last time I checked, the Uchiha was also the founder of this hidden village, _and_ the one who named it. You may have the legacy of the Will of Fire, but the Uchiha have the rights to claim Konoha. Since the line of Senju clan is dying, all rights are going to the next heir, making me the next Hokage.”

The room was building up with dark auras, to which Naruto sensed anger, especially from Sasuke.

“Cocky brat,” the Fifth Hokage grumbled.

“I only called in a favour from Yamanaka Ino. She has agreed to help me find her best friend. I can’t sit here and wait in hopes that your anbu spies will bring news about Sakura’s whereabouts. The truth is, I doubt your men are capable of finding her. They’re up against two powerful Uchiha who we couldn’t even truly defeat during the last war,” he pressed on, “Ino came up with a zero result when she tried to extract the info out. It was as though the memories were erased and replaced with well forge ones. Hence, Ino was-”

“-Unable to retrieve the real information. If she can’t do it, then no other Yamanaka can,” Naruto finished his sentence. “…But you can. You’re an Uchiha. You can break the compulsion if you want to. Then again, you already know that.”

Silence filled the room once more. He became more agitated than he ever was.

Sasuke took a deep breath and broke the silence, “If a Sharingan user tries to unseal it, it will burn their eyes. Only the user who cast _this_ seal can break it.”

“Fine. We can’t crack the mind’s code. However, we know where the anbu went for their missions. We can pin down where they had gone and investigate from there,” Naruto pitched an idea in.

“If it is ever that simple,” Sasuke sighed in return and paced to the wall that has a huge painting of the world map, “you know I would have tracked them down already. I didn’t pursue because our compelled spies were scattered across all the five countries, making it impossible to find the exact location. It will be like trying to find a pin in a haystack, but there is no harm to make an investigation. Of course, with or without the permission of the Fifth, I would like to set up a team to make a trip to the Northern highlands.”

“You _still_ need my permission, eh?” The Fifth Hokage teased on Sasuke’s earliest outburst about going behind her back. He grinned in return. “You will set a team of four shinobi. Team members will be your decision to make, the both of you. You have two weeks. The Sands will be taking part in this investigation as well. The mission starts at twilight. You may leave.”

On the way out of the office, the strongest Shinobi of Konoha argued each other in regards to who would be the leader of the team. Of course, Naruto casted a self-vote.

“You’re not going to be the leader,” Sasuke claimed, “because I’m the capable one.”

“Bastard, I have ties with the Sands!” he countered.

Tsunade stood still, witnessing two of her strongest grown men fighting over a childish thing. She couldn’t decide who would be the next Hokage- Naruto or Sasuke. One has the love of the people of Konoha and the other has the potential strategic mind and skills of a Kage, including birth rights.

* * *

Naruto called Kurama out once Sasuke parted ways and out of earshot.

“What did you get so far?” he asked.

**_Sasuke knew from the beginning. I think he kept it in silence for a long time. He even managed to keep that Yamanaka girl quiet. He’s trying to find Sakura by himself. That is certain._ **

“Ah... He also knows why Sakura-chan left the village.”

**_How he communicates with her, that I do not know..._ **

“What about Kakashi-sensei? Sasuke was asking for him.”

**_Do you think they contact each other through space-time jutsu? It only seems right for the connection between the White Fang and that cursed Uchiha._ **

“But Kakashi-sensei would have already told us.”

**_Ah..._ **

Naruto walked the path to his apartment. Ever since he became the hero of Konoha, they have offered him a big mansion just like the ones of the Hyuga’s or Sasuke’s. He refused because he knew he has difficulty in keeping his apartment clean.

_Sakura-chan will be furious if she learned that my poor habits still haven’t changed one bit,_ he smiled at that thought.

**_Imagine the Fist of Fury she will unleash upon you... Hahaha!_ **

“Bah! You have the tact to laugh at your partner. It’s not nice, ya know!”

**_What? You have me. At most I’m going to heal you very quickly with my chakra._ **

Naruto paused, “Kurama...”

**_What?_ **

“What was Madara like when you were under his control?”

**...**

“Kurama?”

**_He was the type of man who has thirst for power. With manipulation and cruelty, he would use people to his heart content, believing himself as a God more than a man. Your woman is not safe with him. If I must make a guess, there must be something about her that has caught his attention._ **

“Sakura-chan is strong like Tsunade-bachan. Of course, that bastard wants her for himself so that she can heal him twenty-four seven.”

**_I got the feeling that is not the reason... For now, Sasuke is our lead in finding her. Somehow, Kakashi is part of it too. We not know how or why. It is best to be on your guard. Pressure on Sasuke whenever you can._ **

“Ah, I got it.”

**_And Naruto-yo..._ **

“Yeah?”

**_He was really angry... Darkness still dwells within his heart._ **


	5. Chapter 5

It has been three weeks, and Sakura was on the verge of giving the research up. A fresh air was deeply needed, but it would be impossible as she has been living in this gothic underground castle, with two bloodsucking psychopaths and a zombie-like person named _Zetsu_ as her companions. She rolled up her sleeves and frustratedly, gravity rolled it back down. She sighed and glanced herself in a mirror. With her long hair tied loosely and her kimono in bridal white, any sane human might mistake her as a _Yurei_ \- a ghost- searching for her lost husband.

She stared at the ancient scrolls and her notes again. After that, she banged her forehead on the table over and over. She stopped when she felt the pain and buried her face within the scrolls. Any scholars would freak out if one does what she just did- damaging ancient documents which worth more than her life itself. It didn’t matter to her because she was so frustrated for unable to figure these symbols out.

* * *

**Three Weeks Ago**

“What do you think _he_ wants with you?” Sakura asked fidgety, tightening her hold on Obito’s arm.

“Worry much?” he grinned as he covered her hand with his, assuring her that no harm would come to her.

“For the devil I know, yes,” she smiled sarcastically.

“Just don’t say anything that will piss him off. I won’t protect you if you do,” he teased, “In fact, I think I’ll enjoy every moment to see you go one on one with the man of the hour.”

“This is what I get for worrying about you?” she scoffed, “Just so you know, he summons for you, not me. Maybe I’ll be the one who enjoy your arguments with him instead.”

“No, you won’t, because you,” he leaned in and whispered, “would rather be on the side of the devil that you know than you don’t.”

The doors to the main hall opened. Servants greeted them like royals and as they entered, they found a long medieval-gothic dining table and chairs smacked in the middle of the hall. Before the arrival of furniture, the place looked like a dungeon. After a full makeover, it made the ambience a much tolerable place to dine. A sit-down dinner was the theme. Food and drinks were well prepared, making Sakura hungry all the sudden.

“Come and sit,” ordered the man who sat like a king at the far end of the table. He may proclaim himself as the King of the Shinobi but Sakura has a better nickname for him- Ancient Psychopath.

Obito’s muscles tensed beneath her touch, warning her to stay close to him. She noticed that his smirks and grins were gone and replaced with seriousness and calculative expression. Understanding the situation that she was in, Sakura moved closer to him and abided as he guided her to a seat, putting himself forward and blocking her from the view of the ancient psychopath.

“Madara,” Obito called without a gesture of titles or ranks, “you summoned for me?”

“Yes, yes. Come and sit, both of you, and dine with me.” He gestured to the chairs. “We can have a discussion at the same time.”

Obito ushered Sakura two seats away from Madara, settling himself in between. It was good that she wasn’t placed at the other end of the table. Here, by their side, she could listen in to the discussion without partaking in their malicious scheme.

The servants poured the wine while she waited patiently to be served, focusing on the dish that was right in front of her. She has no idea why there was a need for etiquettes. She knew it was a requirement for a proper lady, but she couldn’t understand the necessary as she has been dining with these two psychopaths all these years. There was no other to impress, unless it was meant for that ancient one.

“Right. Let us get on with business,” said Madara as he gestured the servants to make the serve quickly. “The anbu spies, have they been a problem?”

“Well,” said Obito, “when one declares war against them, one needs to be aware of the enemies. A few has been crossing on our land. I have it covered and kept on the watch by our men. They slaughtered some and kept a few for compelling. Our location is safe.”

“The five countries are still looking for us. To think that they have hope is pathetic. Are these the men of Hashirama’s followers? Weaklings don’t deserve to live; especially that granddaughter of his,” Madara spat. As he made a toast with his wine, his dark eyes darted to one person in mind. “What do you think of it, Sakura-sama?”

The question was a test. Sakura bravely returned the glare with a fake smile and didn’t provide the pleasure of answering the ancient psychopath.

“I see that you’ve managed your temper well,” he mused and drank his favourite wine.

“I am the lady of this gothic old dungeon after all. It would be ashamed to damage any priceless _antique_ such as yourself. To reside in this God’s forsaken environment, I must confine my brutal strength, including my temper.”

“Ah, I remember… You almost had this castle destroyed. Very good,” he giggled and then returned the conversation to Obito. “I would like know the process of Lady Sakura’s training so far. Is she managing well?”

“She’s doing great,” Obito answered while slicing his food. “She managed to expand her knowledge, skills and moulding her chakra storage accordingly to your guide. Her genjutsu, on the other hand, was difficult as it didn’t show in the beginning. How did you know that she was gifted?”

“Five years ago, during the war, she broke the spell when I casted a genjutsu on her,” Madara confessed. His smile was eerily proud. “She’s a raw genjutsu user, Obito, but unfortunately weak in that department. She needs to sharpen that skill up; which is why from now on, I will train her personally.”

“That will be too much for her. She’s not strong enough for that level yet. Her body will not take it if you push her too far.”

“Nor if you keep training her piece by piece,” Madara pointed out. “Time is of the essence and I can’t have you delay each of the precious moment when you could have done training her into greatness.”

“You will break her... apart.”

Madara slammed his fists on the table.

“I am Uchiha Madara, The first Eternal Mangekyō user, as well as the one with Rinnegan! Teaching a child to use her illusion technique is nothing but a child’s play to me!”

“Sakura’s talent is more complex! She may have the talent now, but her body is not up for it! Unless you want to replace her eyes with our kind!”

Silence hit the room as both Uchiha challenged themselves to a death staring contest. The candlelight fluttered, struggling to survive from the castle’s gloomy air. Sakura knew they were using her. Obito has been training her for as long as she could remember, but not once has he explained the purpose of the trainings.

“I’m neither going train her to that painful extend nor am I going to hurt her. She’s precious to me,” Madara toned his voice down and pointed to a servant who stood by the far end of the hall to come over. The servant brought a tray with him and on that tray, there was a stack of scrolls. He gestured to hand it over to Sakura. She put down her fork and spoon, took one of the scrolls and opened it.

“There’s no words but pictures,” she finally said.

“Symbols, my dear, not pictures,” he corrected. “You are to read the scrolls to me once you figure out what each of these symbols mean. You have a month to complete this assignment.”

“How am I to read the scrolls if everything is in doodles and symbols? Who is this foolish writer?”

“The God of Shinobi,” Madara answered sternly. Those very words have caught both Obito’s and Sakura’s immediate attention.

Obito, while chewing on his food, snatched the scroll from Sakura’s and glanced through it once.

“These are the lost scrolls of Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo,” he spoke out loud, “You expect her to solve puzzles and scavenge treasures by using these ancient scrolls like a map?”

“No. I expect her to understand and interpret the dead language, which was once known to the world of shinobi. She’s a smart girl. She will read it to me,” Madara nodded.

“And pray tell,” she asked, “what is your intention to pursue me for this... educational training?”

“To read a tale of ancient story for me,” Madara gleamed. “Remember that you have a month. You will come to me if you have questions, or in need of assistance.”

The moment Sakura was done with dinner, she excused herself from the table and ordered the servant to assist her in carrying the stack of scrolls to her chambers. She walked, slowly, towards the door. The conversation between Obito and Madara was still within an earshot.

“We need to regroup,” Madara demanded, “I have several men who are considered as allies of Uchiha. You are to travel east tomorrow, further deep from the Country of Water.”

“And what am I to find in the distant east?” Obito asked his ancestor.

“There are those that still... dwell on unknown islands. Those... that are considered outcasts… lost… and betrayed.”

“Those clans... They’re deemed as murderers... barbarians... traitors. They’re not of the shinobi ways.”

“And they are men who bound no fear,” Madara confirmed.

“They will answer to no one,” Obito countered.

“They will answer only to _one particular bloodline_...”

* * *

A week.

That was the amount of time Sakura has left before Madara unleashes his rage and disappointment. She didn’t like the way he does his punishment. God knows if she fails to meet his expectations or requirements, he would do the most unforgiving- mind torturing the maids whom she took them as friends. He knew that caring for people was one of her weaknesses.

The symbols were shaped in odds with different patterns and sizes. Some looked like a shape of insects, and others were of lines and dots. The rest were nothing much but boring and simple designs.

A knock on the door startled her.

“Ayumi?” her maid entered her chamber and greeted her. “It’s late. What are you staying up for?”

“I got a feeling you’re going to pull an all night. It’s not healthy for your complexion. You need to rest, Ojōsama. I’ve brought you tea and something that could aid you sleep,” she smiled and insist Sakura to take the sleeping aid; drugs in a form of poppy.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I need to finish deciphering these scrolls-”

Sakura paused and stared at her maid’s necklace. When her maid was placing the tea on the table, the shape of her pendant dispersed into familiar shapes and lines, but when she stood up straight, the several oddly shapes beautifully pieced together into one.

“What is that? Your necklace. What does it mean?” Sakura asked.

“This?” Ayumi pointed to her pendant, “I’m from the Village of the Moon. Something to remind me where I’ve come from,” she said proudly, bowed and left the room.

A simple explanation and yet, it gave Sakura an idea. It was exactly what Obito had mentioned at that dinner- puzzles, scavenge treasure and scrolls that must be pieced together into a map. She rushed to take the scrolls- the one with the similar symbols to Ayumi’s pendant- and pieced it together.

_It matches!_ Her heart screamed with joy.

Without delaying any further, she used the fire to cast illuminating shadows and put the pieces in the correct order. From there, she finally started to decipher the meaning behind Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo lost ancient scrolls.


	6. Chapter 6

Six.

Sasuke has six shinobi to be wary of. Naruto decided to bring Shikamaru, and as for him, he brought Jūgo to aid with his plan.

It took two days to reach Sunagakure. There wasn’t a need for an explanation since the Kazekage has already been filled in by the message from the Hokage. There was, however, a slight discomfort when meeting with a young Kage. Gaara used to be such an emo kid. He withdrew himself from those he was closed to and never tend to make any friendly conversation. Even if he did, he was consumed with loathing towards everyone, believing he was the almighty. That had changed when Sasuke drew blood on the berserk kid in a final round of Chūnin Exams. Now, that berserk kid has grown up, taking the Kage position and was loved and supported by his people. Sasuke wasn't surprised by this, of course. It was all thanks to Naruto who typically made an impact in changing people’s lives.

The Kazekage wanted his men to accompany Sasuke's team. Apparently, the location to the village up in the northern highlands was difficult to locate for those who didn't know the area well. Hence, Gaara's older siblings, Temari and Kankurō, along with their two-trusted shinobi were ordered to guide them there.

According to the Sands, the way to the northern village would take one and half days to reach. Sand was practically everywhere. The sun radiated the unbearable heat into the ground, creating the worst of heatwave. Sasuke thought the soles of his shoes were going to melt sooner or later. He led the way, following the route that Temari has pointed out. Jūgo was closed behind him. Everyone kept their mouth shut, only communicate when needed, and focused on reaching the destination. It was not a good idea to drain one's energy in a middle of the desert. The mirage would get to them if they were not careful.

 _That dobe has already suspected me_ , Sasuke thought as he made a quick glance on his men, especially Naruto. From the beginning, he knew that the intel was fake. It didn’t matter though because this faux intel has created a blissful opportunity for him.

The moment he received news from the Hokage about the mysterious pink-headed woman in the north, he knew it was false. And when he was answering every question the Hokage threw at him, Naruto had stayed quiet and analysed him closely from behind. Sharingan wasn’t needed to sense what his friend was planning. During that meeting, he purposely gave a little portion of his hatred. It drew enough hints that Naruto had been using the Kyūbi’s power to sense his emotion out. He didn’t like the idea of someone capable of reading him.

That, and the truth about the anbu report. Sasuke did his best to keep avoiding from answering the truth. He didn’t want to reveal it, yet. His ancestors have been using the Dōjutsu seal, which the technique itself was similar to Itachi’s- Releasing Amaterasu.

Bending the truth was required to keep the Fifth Hokage and his idiot friend out of his full investigation. And in truth, he did break the Dōjutsu seal. He was, indeed, one of the users that could both cast and dispel Amaterasu. If any other _normal_ Sharingan user tries to unseal it, it would burn their eyes. The only problem was another seal underneath it. It was a seal he has never seen before. The syllabus was an odd shape. He studied the symbol for a while, and when he attempted to break the seal, the anbu spy threw a fit and his whole body was suddenly combusted with black flames of Amaterasu.

“We're here,” Temari announced.

“Why are we stopping?” Sasuke demanded to know.

“We need to wait and look out for a specific signal. It's the way to locate the entrance of the village. They said it's a huge diamond; the size of your head. When the sun cast its light, the diamond will gleam from afar within the radius.”

Their brains might as well fry if they continue to stay under this blazing heat. Sasuke nearly ordered Naruto to turn his Kyūbi radar sensor on when Shikamaru spotted it. The village was hidden behind a plateau.

“That wasn't difficult to spot,” said Shikamaru as the team rushed to the village to escape the blistering heat.

“We’d already informed the chief of the village to expect some visitors,” said Kankurō. “He's looking forward to meet us. If the Sands hadn’t informed him, you could have been lost in this desert for days without water. They set up powerful genjutsu around this place. They will let the burning sun dehydrate you and then leave you to die. That is their way.”

* * *

The plateau was actually a huge wall, the kind that was well camouflaged and possibly higher than the Hokage-iwa. Entrance was just as majestic as the great wall. The gates into the village were beautifully built and crafted out of mud and concrete. They were built to withstand against heavy attack. Whoever designed this place was either a genius or a mere human who wanted to instil fear to outsiders.

The teams were greeted by a man Temari believed was a steward of the village. He led them to the Counsel Building which was located on a small hill. Every structure they passed- the houses, the shops and even the fountains- was made from mud and concrete. It was simply breathtaking.

The Counsel Building was made from full concrete. The light signal, the one Temari had mentioned, was indeed a huge diamond set on top of the building. Heavy footmen with weapons held their position, guarding the place. As the team entered, statue after statue of previous leaders were lined up on the side of the Counsel's Hall. And there he was, on the high throne sat the chief. He looked as old and fragile as the Elders from Konoha.

“Welcome, welcome to Shinkirōgakure- Hidden Village of Mirage,” The chief announced proudly. He majestically made his way down the steps towards Temari and Kankurō. “It’s an honour to meet the siblings of the Kazekage. I hope he is well.”

“Thank you. You’re awfully kind, Daichi-sama,” said Temari. “My apology for the short notice on our trip to your humble village.”

“Oh, not at all! Please! You and your company are most welcome here,” he gleamed and turned to Sasuke for introduction. “I am Ishihara Daichi- The Chief of Shinkirōgakure.”

Sasuke has his back straighten and hands to the side, but he didn’t bow. “I am Uchiha Sasuke. These are my men,” he nodded to Naruto, Shikamaru and Jūgo. “And we are shinobi from Konohagakure.”

“Ah yes, I’ve heard of you. You’re the one who defeated Madara.”

Sasuke arched an eyebrow and chuckled. Apparently, the chief was misinformed about the Fourth War history.

“Technically,” he corrected, “we didn’t defeat him at all.”

“ _We_? Oh yes! You and _that_ orange hero!” The chief turned to Jūgo and noticed the orange hair. He then gently poked Jūgo’s chest and gripped his biceps for measurement. “You must be Uzumaki Naruto! You’re very tall and muscular. Such a true warrior you are! Konoha is very lucky to have a lad like you.”

Jūgo averted his eyes to the ceiling while the chief continuously poking on his muscle away. Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru were dumbfounded. Temari looked worried while Kankurō giggled away.

“Ano… Chief-ojiichan. Umm, I’m the real Uzumaki Naruto,” Naruto pointed to himself.

“Huh?” The chief was now confused. His eyes glanced from Jūgo to Naruto. “You’re the one who was named the Hero of Konoha? Hmm…” The chief circling Naruto like a vulture circling for food. He finally said, “Chibi warrior. Not what I’ve expected.”

“What?!” Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke smacked his friend’s mouth with his hand, shutting him up before he could say vile words to the wise old man.

“Mmmm! Mmmm… Mmmnnmmm!”

Still refusing to give up, he quickly used the end of his katana sheath to hit Naruto’s foot very hard. The blonde shinobi cried in pain and silently cursed to the world.

“Let me rephrase that for you,” Sasuke, as usual, ignored his friend. He stepped forward to face the chief. His dark eyes meant business. “I believe we have an important matter to attend. We're here due to the report on a pink-headed woman your villagers claimed to have seen.”

“Ah,” the chief replied. The tone of his voice turned serious too. “Days ago, the Sands shinobi came to investigate about it. They, as well as my fellow councilmen and I, questioned the witnesses personally right here in this very same hall. If you desire, we can call in the witnesses again and demand the truth from their lips.”

Sasuke grinned. He then put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “No, that won’t be necessary. We don’t want to frighten your people. We've come here in good terms, out to search a friend of ours. That is all. If you be so kind, to let us stay here for couple of days while we make our own investigation.”

“Of course. We will provide you the best hospitality Shinkirōgakure can offer. And if you don’t mind, we would like to be part of the investigation to help with your search.”

“I believe that is a great idea. What do you think, Shikamaru? Diplomacy is your specialty.”

Shikamaru was surprised by Sasuke’s highly acknowledgement of him. What surprised him further was the matter of his opinion. He straightened his back; arms rigid to the side and made a bow to the chief.

“I agree with you, Daichi-sama. The Sands and the Leaf are lacked in manpower. It will be troublesome for us. With your help, I believe we can speed our investigation up,” he assured.

“Naruto, I need you to take the lead while I’m dealing with the chief,” Sasuke commanded, who was all back to business. “Request the steward for the name list of the witnesses. Take Jūgo, Kankurō and his men with you. You know what to do?”

“Ah!” Naruto beamed. “Scout around for the witnesses and ask them if they really have seen Sakura-chan.”

“Just be back before dusk,” The chief said, “The Shinkirōgakure is to have a feast tonight. We have nominated you and Sasuke to be our Guests of Honour.”

“Since we’re in agreement,” Sasuke explained, “let us further this discussion somewhere in discreet. I’ll have Shikamaru and Temari joining us to lay out the plan.”

“Agree,” the chief nodded, gesturing the way to a private discussion room.

And then, there was one. One shinobi Sasuke must be wary of- Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

The Hero of Konoha ordered to scatter and search for the witnesses. Each was given the name list. Naruto was heading to the north, Kankurō to the west and the two shinobi were told to make the search in the south. As for Jūgo, he was assigned in the east, closest to the entrance of Shinkirōgakure.

 _It’s all going according to plan_ , he thought.

Before embarking on this mission, Sasuke had thought this through and came out with the actual plan within hours after his meeting with the Hokage. The plan was that Jūgo was to be by Sasuke’s side on the mission to the village in the northern highlands until further notice. The _real_ mission only starts once he is separated from Sasuke.

Jūgo made his way back to the entrance of the village. He ensured no one was watching him. Believing that it was safe enough, he used his natural chakra ability to call out a creature. Not for long, a desert horned lizard appeared.

_It will do._

He slipped a small piece of paper onto the lizard mouth and told where it needed to go. The lizard scurried its cute little feet away.

The weather was really hot. Jūgo looked up to the cloudless sky and suddenly- he was worried that _they_ couldn’t make it. If they weren’t here by midnight, the mission would fail.

And no one wants to disappoint Uchiha Sasuke the most.


	7. Chapter 7

The night guards on the wall changed their shift accordingly to their schedule. Karin safely made her way through a secret passage to the village. Lurking in the dark, she activated the Mind’s Eye of the Kagura jutsu and expanded her range to detect any presence of others.

There was none.

Now, she needed to be in absolute stealth mode and do her best to sneak to the nearest water fountain.

The moonlight slightly aided her in reading the map. Still, it didn’t help much when she ended up in the wrong routes. She cursed every time she lost her way. The place was like a huge maze. It might be fun for the kids playing hide and seek, but a hellhole for adults on a mission.

The fountain was located at the back of an abandoned house. Karin activated her unique ability once again to sense if anyone was around. Satisfied that there was none, she sneaked her way out, pulled out her water bottle and emptied the fill into the fountain.

Nothing happened. She thought _he_ was either stuck in the water pumps or have already died drowning in the bottle.

“Suigetsu!” she called.

No answer. She tried to grab the liquid state of him in the water. Just when she was about to give up hope, bubbles started to form. And then, a figure broke the surface, liquid face appeared right in front of Karin’s. His face was just a breath away from hers.

“Ah, I thought that I was dead!”

“Quiet down, you moron! We’re going to get caught with that noise of yours,” she warned.

“Hey! Did you know I was about to die?”

_Yeah, why haven’t you?_ she silently cursed.

When Sasuke revealed the actual plan, Karin was truly upset. She wanted to be the one to accompany Sasuke. Getting stuck with the water boy was the last thing she ever wanted to be around with because one, his chakra disgusted her. Two, he is loud. And three, he always mocks her about her affection for Sasuke.

She pushed herself away, keeping a safe distance from him and his smell. She wanted to leave him here and begin the mission. Unfortunately, the water boy is part of the plan. It was a strict order from Sasuke and she never wanted to disappoint the man she claimed to love.

“I thought I was going to die of dehydration. But thanks to you, I’m saved,” Suigetsu gave Karin a horrid smile.

“Do you mind hurry up? We have a mission to fulfill.”

“Why did you save me back then?” his tone was serious as he changed into his original form. His arms rested on the wall’s edge of the fountain, violet eyes never left her.

Why indeed?

Both Karin’s and Suigetsu’s path was different from Sasuke’s and Jūgo’s. They were to move further from the original path to Shinkirōgakure to avoid certain detection. When Karin and Suigetsu were crossing the desert, fear had struck them. The heat was unbearable and Suigetsu was melting. After a few hours into the desert, he fainted over and over and Karin thought they wouldn’t be able to reach the village in time. Hope had finally abandoned Suigetsu when he finally stopped moving. The sun had taken much a toll out of his energy and Karin saw it with her own eyes- the chakra was fading slowly and he was dying. With the last attempt to survive, she told Suigetsu to get into her water bottle. She struggled through the mirage and a dust storm without a taste of water; always focus on Sasuke and the mission until she found a horned lizard waiting in front of her, carrying Jūgo’s message.

“Because you’re part of the plan,” she grumbled, “I only saved you because of Sasuke and the mission.”

Karin heard voices on the street and she rushed into the abandoned house with Suigetsu following behind her. They crouched in the shadows and waited, listening for the voices to fade away. She only returned to the conversation once the guards have left. As she faced the man she despised most, she suddenly found herself in the most awkward situation she has ever faced in her entire life. She stood aghast at the sight of one place where no woman should ever stare upon for a long period of time.

Suigetsu stood, naked as a jaybird. The huge cloud which was now covering the moonlight didn’t help much in shading his... everything. The cold air, however, was threatening every inch of his skin but he didn’t try to cover it up. He never bothered to, even if it was in front of Karin. He knew she had worked in the prison surrounded by hundreds of men. There was nothing to be ashamed of since she must have seen naked men before.

And there it was. Her crimson eyes widened, cheeks reddened like tomato and her mouth the shape of O. Suigetsu couldn’t help but to cock his head to the side and grinned to the amusement he was well received. He liked her priceless expression. The smile he gave has caused Karin to look embarrassingly away.

“Hmm,” he wondered.

“D- Do you mind putting your clothes on?! You’re going to catch a cold!”

“If you’re really in love with Sasuke,” cold has already caught to his breath but he constantly ignored it, “why are you helping him to find _his woman_?”

“That bitch is not his woman!” she glared at him and quickly realized it was another huge mistake. He was still there, fully naked. She rolled her eyes and returned her watch for any intruders.

“I’m pretty sure she is. He wouldn’t go to the distance just to find her. You said that Sasuke tried to kill her on the bridge somewhere in the Land of Iron? What’s the point for this then?” He gestured to his surrounding, “It’s more like searching for his epic lost love taken away from his great… great grandpa?”

“It is his ancestor, you idiot. And no, she is not his woman. I am!”

“Self proclaiming your love to a man who doesn’t give a shit about you. It’s a shame,” he pointed out.

That was really shallow of him. There was no need to remind that her love for Sasuke was one-sided. Her fingers curled into a tight fist. She might not be great in Taijutsu, but hell, Suigetsu deserved a one type punch- nakama or not. When she was about to make an attack, he shoved a water bottle to her.

“Drink up, woman. You look pale.”

_So very close and naked_ , Karin thought. Her mind betrayed her once again. Even in this dim light, she found herself in awe of his hard, lean frame as he stood naked before her. Suigetsu didn’t have a body like Jūgo’s. He wasn’t pretty; not with his razor- sharp teeth or his platinum hair that never suited him very well. His body, though, was closed to the size of Sasuke’s: slim yet masculine. She tried to tear her gaze away but the sight of his magnificent arms wouldn’t let her. Carrying that heavy sword around must have given him a well-defined build to his body, especially his toned arms. Too bad Sasuke has ordered Suigetsu to leave his sword at Konoha for a very good reason. Suddenly- she was feeling… touchy. Her eyeglass condensed, either due to the cold air or her heated breath. She couldn’t tell. And now, she couldn’t see very well.

Suigetsu watched Karin as she drank the water in silence. Her eyes focused anywhere but him, and her cheeks were still rosy pink.

_Perhaps she is embarrassed? h_ e thought. But she would never be. She was loud and annoying but never embarrass. Shyness was her act for Sasuke’s eyes only.

“Karin, I have a pleasure of owing you my life,” he leaned closer to her. He could see she was attempting to keep her distance. Her hands were covering up her chest as he continued his advances. He put his arms around, brushing his hands against her back, feeling every curve of her and exposing her exquisite needs.

“There’s no need for-” she was completely lost in words and surprised by Suigetsu’s sudden offer.

“I’m going to need-” his soft gentle voice whispered to her ear. His breath warmed her cheeks. There were no kisses, but his touches left a trail of heat and desire. She flushed with awkward redness as the embrace tighten. Something warm and soft grazing up against her exposed thigh. She mentally estimated his length.

“Ah… Yes… More…” she moaned. Her mind was building up fantasy. Never knew a disgusting man such as him could seduce her wantonly.

“-My clothes… now.”

“What?!” Karin pushed Suigetsu away. Her hands holding onto his shoulders for balance because her right leg was brushing up against his. She was that close to wrapping it around his waist.

“I want my clothes. How are we to start the mission if you’re still holding onto it?” He sneaked his hand and dig into Karin’s bag pack. “Oro? You look pissed off,” he continued and quickly dressed up, noticing that she was fuming with rage.

_Exactly. Nothing happens._ Karin felt foolish. There would come a day that she would have her revenge and pay him back with her method of ‘kindness’.

“Hell has no fury like a woman scorned,” she grumbled and left Suigetsu behind.

For the only woman who has saved his life, she didn’t deserve to be ill- treated. Yet, Suigetsu couldn’t help it. He loved teasing her. It might be a fragment of his imagination, but did he spot a disappointment on Karin’s face?

* * *

One could not explain how hype the people of Shinkirōgakure was. The welcoming party was overwhelming with free food and drinks, served all around the table. Wines were flowing freely and their cups were never emptied. The dancers- the Desert Beauties- danced in seductive moves to a tune of strange local music that made it unique and memorable.

Of course, in honoring their guests, Naruto and Sasuke were seated on the highest table with the chief by their side. Shikamaru and Temari, on the other hand, were seated on the other side, accompanied by the steward. Everyone was dressed down for the event, leaving their weapons in their rooms. This was apparently a feast to celebrate and tighten the villages’ trusts and coexistence.

Two of the Desert Beauties danced towards Sasuke, attempting to seduce and grab any attention or reaction from him. He has his elbow propped up, resting his chin onto his palm and yawned in sheer boredom.

“These beauties are attracted to the young master,” the chief chuckled at the sight of the dancers’ effort. “Sasuke-dono, you must catch yourself a wife. Noble women tend to surround and follow you even before the feasting started. I’m curious if either one has captured your eyes?”

“I’m afraid I have to disappoint your curiosity. I’m not here to hunt a wife,” Sasuke claimed as he waved the beauties away. They stopped their advances and turned to seduce Naruto instead. The blonde shinobi gulped nervously as they pursued him with their _talents_.

“Oh? It seems you have someone special in particular, no? But no matter. You seem to be strong and a capable man. With your situation, I thought you will take more than a wife. Perhaps a concubine or a mistress to assist in building your clan?”

“I’m not a womanizer. I will do no such,” he silently cursed, resisting his temptation to choke the life out of this old man.

“Oh my! Forgive me if I’ve intruded your private life. I didn’t know how much she’s meant to you.”

“If you assume what I’ve assumed, you are mistakenly wrong. She’s meant to all of us,” he replied. “A dearest pupil to the Fifth. A best friend to someone. A skillful than the rest of the kunoichi in this Shinobi world and-”

“A member of Team Seven,” Naruto finished the sentence while kindly refusing the touches of the two beauties.

“Hmm, I can understand that, but what is she to _you_?” the chief asked his honorable guests.

Naruto and Sasuke sat in silence. Neither wanted to answer because neither knew where they stand when it comes to Sakura- A friend? A very close friend?

“Ah, I can see it,” the chief slyly smiled as he made a short glimpse at two of Konoha’s best heroes. “Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.”

Naruto couldn’t understand a single shit what this old man was talking about. Sasuke, on the other hand, decided to remain silence for the rest of the feast.

“Shinkirōgakure is a very old village,” the chief told a tale, “Once, it was a sacred beauty of the west. But after many wars, this land had turned into battlegrounds, mostly fought between the Sands and the Rocks. There’s a history left by my ancestors thousand years ago. Particular words that are passed down and known only to my people. It’s the very same words that inspired to build this place.”

“Do share,” Naruto insisted as he drank the best wine Shinkirōgakure has offered.

“It is written that _a bond between two people is an upmost task; to each protects the solitude of the other._ You’ve met and talked to my people, yes?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “They’re very friendly; warm and kind-hearted people. Their chakras are very bright.”

“Within these walls, you’re witnessing their bonds. And in this wall, you see the Sands and the Rock continued to strengthen its coexistence, through mud and concrete.”

Naruto smiled to the simple concept of what this village represents.

“I’m sure,” the chief continued, “that your friend has a reason to go on her own ways. Besides, what is there to live but to protect those you loved, no?”

“DAICHI-SAMA!” a night guard intruded the great feast and quickly rushed his way to the chief.

“Speak,” the chief commanded, “What is the matter?”

“Trouble, Daichi-sama!” the guard panted, “T-There’s a huge monster at the main gate!”

“A monster?!” The chief was shocked and disbelieved in what he was hearing. He scratched his bald head in confusion. “This is the first I’ve heard. Are you sure it’s a monster?”

“Yes! Sharp teeth and all muddy!”

Sasuke covered mouth with his hand. His eyes were elsewhere but the chief. Naruto thought that he had detected a hidden smile.

“Any casualties?”

“There is none, sir, but the creature… Well, the creature was screaming, swinging its arms and throwing mud all over the place!”

“On the buildings?!”

“No, on us! It’s very slimy and disgusting. It’s moving to the north as we speak.”

“Then we must haste and aid our men. Gather everyone who is capable, those who are here and on stand by, to the North-central. We’ll-”

“We’ll go as well!” Naruto spoke up, “You need all the help you can get.”

“It’s considered rude for us to have our Guests of Honors to protect us. However, if you insist, we’ll accept.”

“Then allow my men and I to make preparation to capture this creature,” Sasuke announced and stood to make orders. “Jūgo, take the Sands to the rendezvous and aid the men. Shikamaru, Naruto, once you are ready, tail the creature from behind, but do not make any attempt to attack. Help any casualties on your way.” He turned to the chief. “The creature didn’t hurt anyone… yet. Best not to harm it first and observe what it needs. Have your men to guide the women and children to a safe location as first priority. By the way, where are you going to station at?”

“I’m going with my men to the North-central. I’m going to watch and guide them from the watch tower.”

“Very well. I’ll meet you there and provide guidance if needed.”

“Thank you, Sasuke-dono.”

There was an understanding when the Chief of Shinkirōgakure and Sasuke nodded to each other. Naruto looked at his nakama in awe. His long-time rival was better in everything he does, even at giving orders. This was what a Hokage should be- provide quick strategies and protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. He hated to admit it but Sasuke does make a better Kage. And yet, he has a feeling that his friend was putting up a very good show.

* * *

“What the fuck is Sasuke up to?” Shikamaru paced the floor of their room.

“Kurama,” Naruto called, “I need your help. They’re expecting us to be out and ready as soon as possible-”

**_I’m on it…_ **

He should have known. His guts were right all along, yet he chose ignorance. Sasuke knew about the faux intel, but why did he still insist on going through these if he knew about it from the beginning? It didn’t make any sense.

**_Naruto-yo, it’s that water boy, one of Sasuke’s men._ **

“What did Kurama say?” Shikamaru demanded.

“The monster is Suigetsu. Shit! Why is he attacking this harmless village?”

“Except that no one is attacking anyone. Suigetsu must be the distraction. He wants all eyes on him. Sasuke is definitely up to something. Naruto, we can’t risk having Suigetsu captured. It will not look good on Konoha. If the Chief of Shinkirōgakure finds out that Sasuke is the one who planned all these-”

“Ah, I know! What I didn’t know is that all this time, he was playing us! We’re the ones who supposed to trick him. Shit!” he cursed. He should have demanded the truth from Sasuke directly since day one.

“Sometimes plans backfire. Look, we have no choice but to follow whatever he’s planned to do here. The main priority is to not let anyone knows what he’s up to. Not even the Sands. He’s the closest person to find Sakura. Naruto, you’re going to have to find him and demand answers.”

“Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” Two clones appeared beside Naruto. “If Sasuke isn’t at the tower, one of my clones is going to change into him. What about you?”

“I need to be out there,” Shikamaru prepared his weapons. “It’s troublesome but that fish guy seriously can’t afford to get caught. If something happens, I need to be the middle man.”

Naruto nodded. He grabbed his weapon pouch and ran out to the hallway, leaving his clones to Shikamaru. His first search would have to be in Sasuke’s room which was located on the other side of the wing, but his sense stated otherwise.

**_He’s in ground level. No, wait! He’s going further deep. There must be an underground tunnel underneath this Counsel building. Naruto-yo, we must hurry!_ **

“Ah, I’m on it!”

Naruto rushed down the stairs, cursing as he followed Sasuke’s path to wherever damn well he was going.

* * *

**Writer's note: Sorry for the delay. I was typing this story while watching Prince of Tennis. LOL. I can't focus. I'll be back in 2 days.**


	8. Chapter 8

The way through the underground tunnel was in pitch darkness. Thanks to his Sharingan, he didn’t need to run blindly and waste any amount of time. He wouldn’t have all the time but enough to take what he needed most; only if Suigetsu does what he did best, which was buying Sasuke some time.

The riddle of the symbolic seal must be answered. He didn’t want the anbu spies to end up in flames every time he tries to break the seal. He had searched through every book and scroll in Konoha library. Yet, nothing came up with the exact symbol. He had no choice but to turn to the man who knows everything: Orochimaru. Sasuke didn’t show him the symbol. Instead, he asked if there was ever an ancient text or languages that uses symbols. He learned that such language was long gone and forgotten. To revive a dead language would take an amount of patience, effort and research. And Sasuke didn’t have the time for any of it. What he needed most was to find Sakura and return her to Konoha. However, if he didn’t have the knowledge of this symbol, unsealing it would be an impossible task.

That was the reason why he has Jūgo, Suigetsu and Karin on a quest to find old villages across the whole five countries. So far, they have listed the names of villages but didn’t manage to get a jackpot… yet. Shinkirōgakure sounds promising.

According to Jūgo, there were two guards deeply stationed underneath the Counsel Building. And one doesn’t put two best sensory shinobi in complete darkness for nothing.

 _She should be there already_ , Sasuke thought as he dashed through the concrete labyrinth. The tunnel spiraling down, perhaps ten levels deep. The air was getting thinner but it was bearable enough. Once he reached the last level, he made a turn and ran. He could see someone at the end of the tunnel.

“Karin.”

“Sasuke! You’re right. It works! Oh my God, these things are brilliant! Where do you get this stuff?” she beamed with joy. She has defeated two very skill shinobi using a simple weapon.

Sasuke had stumbled upon these pink balls in Sakura’s office while digging through her stuff. When he was playfully tossing it in the air, Kiba had screamed like a mad man. He had shouted that the pink balls were powerful sleeping grenades, one that he and his nakama had a taste of it before. Who would have thought that she was capable of making handy weapons? Then again, she could be an idiot for putting a bomb in a place surrounded by sick and injured people.

“Did anyone see you?”

“Nope. I turned both of my chakra and abilities off before I enter this building. Roll those sweet babies to them and poof! Knockout in a matter of seconds.” she turned on a small flashlight. She beamed the light onto the shinobi and felt proud.

“Well done, Karin,” he praised and focused to work on opening the heavy metal door in front of them.

There was no alarm mechanism behind this door. It was heavy for one man to open. If this village was the enemy, Sasuke would have already burned it down with a flick of Amaterasu. Instead, he pushed the dial in anticlockwise with all his strength. Every time he took a breath, he pushed and pushed until he heard a thud sound, signaling that the door was finally unlocked. Sasuke and Karin pulled the door opened and stepped into the vault.

Dimmed lights casted throughout the library the moment it felt human presence. Books were literally everywhere. Some were piled high up and spread all over the tables and floor. Others were stack neatly on the shelves, covered in webs and dust.

“Where do we start?” Karin asked while amazed by how old these books could be.

Without wasting any minute, Sasuke headed in the direction of the restriction section of the library. He read the ‘forbidden’ sign and knew he would start the search from here. “We need to find scrolls. Not the books,” he said as he ran his fingers against several spines of books. “Ancient texts were written in scrolls a long time ago.”

“And what am I looking for in particular?”

“Anything in relation to symbols,” he answered.

“What does it look like?”

If he didn’t explain to anyone, he sure wasn’t going to explain it to his own nakama. The less people know about it, the better. In fact, keeping it to himself was the safest he could ever do for Konoha and Sakura. He couldn’t risk any mistakes.

“Karin, Suigetsu is using all of his effort to buy us time. Find and take the scrolls that have any symbols on it!”

Karin jumped to Sasuke’s sudden temper. She thought that being closer with him would at least allow him to open up to her, but he was the same as he was before- mysterious and lethal. And if she wasn’t mistaken, he was more pissed off than ever.

They passed several shelves, deeper into the vault. Finally, they found the scrolls stacked in pigeon holes’ shelf which was protected with glass door.

 _This should be it._ Sasuke slid the door open and took a scroll out. He quickly read it through. Scrolls after scrolls, he only took what was necessary and dumped it all in his prepared slack bag.

Karin did the same. She tried to quicken the pace but something tore her concentration. She kept looking over her shoulder to the right. There was nothing. She widened the range of her abilities to sense anything out. No one was in the library except for her and Sasuke. Thinking that was probably just a breeze, she continued with what she was told to do.

And just when she was about to grab a scroll, she felt it again! Something touched her radar, alright. It didn’t feel like chakra. This was something else, something cold and unknown to her.

“Sasuke…” she called. Nervously, she walked over and flashed the light to the darkest section.

“What is it?”

“There’s something here. I don’t know what it is, but it’s-” Karin beamed the flashlight straight to the floor. She squatted and brushed the dust away. Suddenly- she found a small iron ring pull-knob. The head was strangely designed. She tried to lift it up but to no avail.

Sasuke inserted his Kusanagi sword through the loop and used the support to lift it up. The door creak opened. Cold and ancient air escaped, brushing his pale skin. He activated his Sharingan to get a better view of what was underneath.

Nothing but more spiral stairs into darkness.

“Sasuke, something tells me that we shouldn’t be down there,” Karin warned. Her voice sounded afraid and she wished not to go any further.

“The more reason we should be.”

And without a second thought, Sasuke took a step into the oblivion.

* * *

Shikamaru either wanted to laugh or cry in horror. From where he stood, it almost looked like a game. The chief stood on the watch tower, controlling and appointing his men to whichever direction they needed to go in order to capture Suigetsu- the supposedly gigantic mud monster.

He was right about Suigetsu taking the role of distraction. He didn’t hurt anyone in the process of fearing the villagers. His version of being scary, sadly however, was screaming and throwing monstrous arms in rage.

Shikamaru shook his head to the many situation or scenarios he has faced in his life. And all his life, this would be the silliest task of all.

It was very slick of Sasuke to tell him to tail the beast from behind and not making attempts to attack. That was a very smart move because if Sasuke had put him in the watch tower with the chief, the old man would need advices and strategies which Shikamaru was very good at. Instead, the Uchiha has him tailing Suigetsu so that he could come up with strategies to prevent Suigetsu from getting caught. It’s like cheating in a game.

Shikamaru noticed that the guards couldn’t keep up with the chase. He then activated his shadow gathering technique to help all the fallen guards he could and get them mostly out of the way. No one was injured. They were just covering in mud. He glanced at the watch tower again and understood what was needed to be done.

_Well planned, Sasuke. Well planned indeed._

“Naruto!” he called once he was closed enough and no one was around to hear their conversation.

“Yeah?!” The cloned-Naruto was pretty handy too. He was using Kurama’s chakra to form hands and take the guards to a safer place.

“Sasuke is not in the tower. Your other self need to change into him.”

“Done.” And as he’d said it, ‘Sasuke’ appeared and stood beside the chief.

“Okay, listen up. I’m going to get closer to that fish guy. You must back me up. Get to the front and get the men as far away as possible. Don’t let them get in the way.”

With that, Shikamaru jumped ahead towards Suigetsu. There were a few obstacles ahead but it was easily manageable.

“Kageyose no Jutsu!” His shadow aimed and grabbed onto Suigetsu’s hand. The strength alone allowed Shikamaru to get air lifted and landed directly onto Suigetsu’s monstrous nose.

“Yo...” Shikamaru grumbled.

“AARGH! GERR! AARGHHH!”

“If you eat me, Suigetsu, I swear that I’m going to give you an instant major diarrhea! My shadow technique can go through your digestive system as easily as fluid,” he lied. Suigetsu immediately stopped growling. “Sasuke sent me here to help you. It’s damn troublesome but I’m going to guide you through this. Just listen to what I’m telling you and you’ll be fine.”

“I’m fine by myself. Get off me,” Suigetsu argued.

“Unfortunately, my landing got me stuck in this mud up to my waist. We’re stuck to each other whether you like it or not. How long did Sasuke ask for?”

“As long as I can maintain,” Suigetsu changed his hands in a form of slingshot. A pile of mud already prepared. He aimed it to his side and shoot. “Bull’s eye!”

“Stop that!”

“Hey, I thought you’re on my side! I’m here to distract. The best thing I can do is to piss them off.”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and took another glance at the watch tower. The Chief was jumping with madness, scolding and demanding his men to bid what was told. ‘Sasuke’ did what he does best- stare proudly and be all moody.

Suigetsu pulled Shikamaru out and placed him on top of his head, making his version of mud monster a much scarier effect. Shikamaru thought he was the antenna of the monster. The only good thing was that he has three- sixty view.

Suddenly- a strong wind attacked them from behind.

“Oh shit!” Shikamaru cursed.

“What’s going on?! Who the hell scratch my butt?!”

“Who did you throw that mud to just now?!”

“Eh? Those mini squads led by a woman with a big fan. Why?”

“I suggest you run, Suigetsu. Run as fast and far away as possible. The sister of Kazekage is a wind element user, and she does not look happy!”

“Why can’t you tell her to back off?!”

“You just threw a mud on her face! Do you expect her to attack you nicely?!”

Before Suigetsu could answer, Temari slashed his arm using her Daikamaitachi no Jutsu. The arm dropped to the ground with a thud sound. He didn’t have chance to regrow his arm because Temari was going to make another attack on him and he feared it was going to be bigger than before.

“Fuck me! Your girlfriend is mad!”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Shikamaru argued. This game apparently turned into a handicap match. Not only that he needed to avoid the chief’s men, but he needed to counter Temari’s attack. He peeked over his shoulder, hoping she would at least cool down. Apparently, he was dead wrong. “SHIT! RUN IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, YOU BASTARD!”

‘Sasuke’ continued to watch Shikamaru and Suigetsu running away from Temari who was waving her huge fan at them. His left eye twitched a little, wondering if this was all a joke because from here, it looked as though they were playing a reverse game of cat and mouse.

* * *

 

The air was getting thinner and it was getting harder and harder to breathe as Sasuke and Karin took steps further down to the unknown. There was nothing to guide them. So, they have no choice but to hold onto the sidewall as they walked down the spiral stairs. Since Sasuke was using his Sharingan and he could see better in darkness, he led the way. No human could stay down here for long; not in this tight suffocating atmosphere.

“Do you think this is the best idea?” Karin stayed closer to Sasuke. He caught and assisted her couple of times when she almost slipped and fell. “I mean, no one is down there. It’s just that I have this bad feeling. There’s an unknown aura and it’s stronger this time. It’s telling me to stay far away,” she babbled, trying her best to change his mind about going any further.

Sasuke never doubts Karin’s ability. If she said she has sensed something else instead of humans, he would believe it. The problem lies with Shinkirōgakure. What secrets have they kept beneath this village? The door was covered in thick dust and there was no evidence of footprints on the steps either. It seems that none of the locals have entered this place for a very long time. In fact, he believed no one ever does till now.

They finally reached the bottom and were struck with awe by the view they’ve discovered. This was no tunnel. It was a cave. No light, day, the sun and even the moon could hold the sway or meaning of this place where time stood still. The cavern formed soluble rocks over time which now surrounded by its natural elements such as limestone and marbles. The wall above arched hundred feet up to giant stalagmites which were rather unusual. They appeared to be rounded, irregular and hollow cones- which concaved down towards the Earth as though it was melting. The air was cool and slightly dank. The only sound they heard were the sounds of dripping water and their footsteps.

The absence of light might be a problem for Karin since she only has a small flashlight to aid her. Fortunately, there was no issue for Sasuke. He sees everything what this prehistoric cave has offered. And his eyes focused dead onto one place that has caught his upmost attention.

Sasuke stepped into the circular floor. Karin followed. The floor was too smooth to be natural. It was the size of a field and it was, no doubt, a manmade. Someone must have been here a long time ago, built this place and left it to be forgotten. Sasuke believed that not even the chief would have known this place existed. This was an old and sacred place and Karin was right again. They shouldn’t be here at all.

“What is this place? There’s nothing and yet, I’m feeling it’s here, exactly right where I’m standing on!”

“You can’t see it?” he asked.

“See what?” Karin shrugged her shoulders. “There’s nothing here.”

Interesting. The symbols were right underneath her feet within this circle and she couldn’t see it? No clan, not even the Uzumaki could see this except for the Uchiha. Could any of these in relation to his ancestor?

Sasuke tried to study the cryptic symbols. He took the surrounding and observed if there was any symbols on the wall. There was none. His eyes went back to the floor. Every line and every curve was in different shapes and sizes. None of them were familiar to him. These weren’t _the_ symbol he was looking for in particular. Nevertheless, it was symbols indeed, and it was evident enough, proving that there was a time when people had used symbols instead of words. It frustrated him so much that he could see it but never understood it.

“Karin, head back to the library and pack up the scrolls. _He_ will be here soon.”

She followed his orders, like always. She wondered if he would be alright here all alone. The aura she still sensed was ominous- something she couldn’t really touch on or never really understood. What she could sense from it was that it was not human and that it doesn’t want to be known or found. She took a final glance to the man she loves before heading up the spiral stairs and back to the library.

* * *

The maze was harsh to the hero of Konoha. Naruto dashed his way through it but kept bumping his face to the wall several times. Thank goodness Kurama’s chakra glowed golden bright in this darkness. Or else, he would have to go through this maze with utter blindness. He made through a small tunnel and found two shinobi fainted on the floor.

**_I can’t sense that Uzumaki woman. She must have turned her chakra off. Naruto-yo, I don’t like this place. Somehow…_ **

Naruto walked into the vault and followed Sasuke’s chakra since he couldn’t sense the other.

“What’s wrong?”

**_…_ **

“Kurama?”

The nine-tailed beast didn’t answer. Naruto continued to follow his sense and walked into the forbidden section until he came across a trapped door, which was left open. He glanced around for Karin. She was nowhere to be found. She must have really concealed her chakra.

 _That is one really tricky kunoichi,_ he thought.

Naruto peeked beyond the trapped door and unsurprisingly found more stairs. He managed to sense out Sasuke’s chakra and _other_. For the first time, he couldn’t figure out what this ‘other’ was. It was neither good nor evil and he didn’t dare to question it. Suddenly- a shock vibe ran through his body the moment he took the first step down the spiral stairs.

“What the hell was that?!”

**_Stay quiet, Naruto. Just keep moving forward…_ **

There was something about this place that has bothered not only Kurama but Naruto as well. Still, this wasn’t the appropriate time to think or ask about it. He needed to find Sasuke, stat. Shikamaru couldn’t hold off the chief’s men forever. And Naruto needed time; time to demand answers from Sasuke and beat the shit out of him after that.

Naruto was slightly hyperventilating when he finally reached the bottom. The air was thinner here than above. Without wasting any time, he quickened his pace towards the chakra he was sensing. And strange as it sounds, it wasn’t Sasuke’s.

“What the-” Naruto was beyond speechless. He was about to cross over into the circular floor when Kurama stopped him.

**_Don’t step any further! See this line? Stay away from it!_ **

“Why?”

 **_Naruto-yo, this is a sacred place. Even the air in here is ancient. You must respect_ ** _**it.**_

“A sacred place? There are symbols within this circle. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Kurama, what is this place?”

**…**

“Kurama?”

 **_I don’t know, kid. It’s very old. We shouldn’t be here. It doesn’t want us_ ** _**to…**_

“Why am I not surprised? Not even the great Kyūbi knows what it is.”

And there he was, lurking from the shadows, stood Sasuke. His eyes were glowing of his unique Sharingan. His expression was as cool as always; ever the proud Uchiha he was. He stepped into the circular floor once again, ignoring Naruto’s mentioning of ‘sacred’.

“Sasuke! You better-”

“I want to talk to Kurama first,” Sasuke cut him off.

“Eh?” Naruto baffled.

“Naruto, I’m asking you nicely. Either he comes out or I’m jumping into your mind.”

“You’re not ‘asking’ nicely. You’re ‘commanding’. That’s different from asking,” he grumbled.

**_Switch with me, kid. Either way, we’re all in this conversation._ **

Naruto sighed and abided at Kurama’s request. He made one last glare to Sasuke before his eyes constricted into a mere slit. Those cat-like eyes proved that Kurama has made the switch.

“What did you see, Kyūbi?” Sasuke pointed to the floor.

“Are we going back to _Kyūbi_ now? A while ago you called by my name.”

“Enough of small talk. You and I both understand we don’t have enough time.”

“You, Uchiha, are always straight to the point,” Kurama, which was now in control of Naruto’s body, circling around the floor. He still refused to step over the lines. “I see what you see. It is of the same.”

The answer wasn’t enough. Sasuke pressured on, “What does it mean?”

Kurama squatted closer, trying to get a better view and figure out what all these symbols mean.

“I don’t know. All my life, I’ve never seen any of these. It’s not even the language of mantra.” It amazed him how old these symbols were and how new these were to him. “What I can tell you,” he continued, “is that you’re standing on holy ground, and I suggest you move otherwise.”

The tailed beast didn’t lie. Sasuke could tell it with his eyes. So, not even the one who was closed to the Sage of the Six Paths knew what these symbols mean. If Kurama didn’t know, who else would?

Sasuke ran his hand over his hair. He has come to this village to find an answer. Instead, he was cursed with more questions.

“We need to go,” he decided.

Kurama immediately changed and Naruto was himself again. “Hey, we’re not finished talking. Sasuke!”

“WE’RE DONE!” he shouted. “Can’t you see?! I’m not that close to finding Sakura. If you want to find her, shut the hell up. And this?!” he gestured to the symbolic floor, “stays between us. Don’t say a word about these symbols to anyone!”

Sasuke turned his back on Naruto and left the cave with mixture of disappointment and anger. Frustration consumed him as he made his climb back to the library. He took one last glance at the symbols.

 

 _The riddle of the symbolic seal must be answered,_ Sasuke reminded himself of his true purpose here. He already has the symbols imprinted to his memory. The only hope he has left in finding Sakura was the scrolls he has stolen from Shinkirōgakure.

 

**END OF PART I**


	9. Chapter 9

** PART II **

 

_The meaning of life is not to be discovered only after death in some hidden,_

_mysterious realm; on the contrary,_

_it can be found by eating the succulent fruit of the Tree of Life_

_and by living in the here and now as fully and creatively as we can._

                                                                                                 - Paul Kurtz

 

* * *

 

** CHAPTER 9 **

 

Cool breeze brushed against his skin. He breathed in the fresh air that this world could provide. Obito stood still, silently greeting the sun. He took his mask and shoes off not a while ago and allowed the morning dew gracing beneath his feet. He liked this sensational feeling. He also liked the tranquillity of this place; birds chipping, wild flowers blooming to their season and the sound of the waves crashing the shore not too far away. He could get used to a place such as this. He and-

_Rin would love it here,_ he assumed it so.

 He stared at his gloved hands, allowing himself to remember the very last moment of Rin. He could still feel her; just on the tip of his fingers. When he had held her dead body in his hands, everything in him died along with her. His hands were soaked with blood as he held her closer to his chest. Tears kept flowing down his cheeks. He had begged her soul to return. There was no answer to his prayers. Losing her has taken him to the world of despair what was known to him as Hell. Yes, here in Hell with nothing but him and a lifeless body. He couldn’t acknowledge the fact that she was gone. With that, he was caught spiralling in the vortex of hatred: Kakashi, Minato-sensei, Konoha and the shinobi world. He could no longer care about this reality. It was the reason why he has invested in creating anew with the _Tsuki no Me Keikaku_.

It would be so easy to dream the impossible, which could have been achievable if his original plan had gone smoothly. The very reason why he pushed onwards with this plan was to live in the world where Rin could be alive and safe; a world where there isn’t a system of shinobi, hero or villain, hatred or war to worry about that could hurt her existence. If there was ever a chance to revive her- and not in Edo Tensei- he would grasp it. He would find a way to get her back. That was why he decided to abandon Konoha and its belief in the Will of Fire.

_Love is the key to peace? Bullshit!_

Even if it was Rin’s intention to keep the village safe, his only love still died in the hands of Kakashi’s jutsu. How on earth was that supposed to be peace? It was nothing but a collateral damage. Damn to the world as they know it! He would rather destroy it just to hear her heart beat again. If Tsuki no Me Keikaku was the only way to achieve that, for her, he would gladly rule that world and play God.

Indeed, he could get used to this place- the tranquillity and all. However, nothing was worth when Rin is still dead.

Obito put his mask back on. His compelled guide has finally returned from scouting information around a nearby village. The man might be slow in his pace but he was useful; locals know their sources well. There was also another reason for his usefulness but Obito decided to save it for later.

“I’ve checked with the locals. The place that ye seek… many men danna dare to go. It won’t be wise if ye insist, mi lord,” the man said.

Obito could sense he was hiding more information. The resistance of saying any further was showing all over his wrinkled face.

“I am not your lord. Speak what comes through your mind.”

“The land ye seek is across the channelling water in the direction of the greetin’ sun. It’s too far from here. Ye must travel by boat under the right weather. But men willna go there. Hirin’ someone to help ye across is impossible.”

“The right weather? The sea right now is calm.”

“Aye! Only by the coast! Swim there if ye so desperate! The rough water will take ye life and soon be dead. Itsa curse place, I tell ya.”

The man clearly has no idea who Obito was. He smiled. Not too long ago, he was fighting the world with power and fear. To him, stories of curses were a mere child’s tale, and he fears no such.

“I want to get across,” he insisted. He pulled a small bag of gold and handed it over to the man. He then activated his Sharingan. “Go buy me a suitable boat to sail across the sea. Get the necessary items for this journey as well.”

At precisely three hours of worth waiting, the man managed to get him a boat and proper inventory for the journey. It wasn’t new but it was big enough and seemed suitable to sail across the sea. He didn’t question how the man managed to get a boat in such a busy harbor. He just wanted to get across, recruit Madara’s men and return home. He sat alone on the wooden boat deck while allowing the man to take the bridge and maintain its course. There was nothing to admire but the cloudless sky and the breeze of salted sea.

The journey to the distant east was farther than he had expected. It has been uncounted days since he was away from Sakura. He didn’t like the idea of leaving her with Madara; considering it as a misfortune to reside her alliance with the devil.

When his ancestor made his appearance during the war, it was obvious that he needed to make certain adjustment to his plan. He was so closed to achieve his dream. Unfortunately, that Naruto brat and the shinobi alliance managed to extract the bijū out of him. It was a moment of weakness and a mistake he dearly regretted. What he should have done back then was to shut the hell up and focused on the project instead. Nevertheless, he had to confirm himself about the path he chose. And of all the people in the world, he had to confirm it with Naruto. The moment the bijū were extracted, his whole body felt numb and he lay on the ground in feeble state, waiting for a shinobi to take his life. Even when Kakashi was about to kill him, he still couldn’t accept the defeat because he was still clinging on to that hate.

And then Madara stepped in. His will, the black Zetsu, possessed half of his body and casted _Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu_ to bring his ancestor back to life. That bastard had used him.

_A backstabbing ally, indeed…_ he thought. A backstabbing bastard who have also saved his life, twice.

Obito pinched the bridge of his nose, laughing to himself at the terms he used on his mortal ancestor. His facial drained to a sudden seriousness. The Fourth Shinobi World War wasn’t stopped by powerful Kages but by a very young pink-headed kunoichi instead. If he wasn’t numb at that time, he would have laughed out loud and rolled all over the ground. It was all too vague but he managed to find out pieces of truth.

Madara was quick to act as he recaptured and resealed the bijū into _Gedō Mazō_. As he was extracting the two remaining beasts, the alliance shinobi had made a daring attempt to attack him from behind; and Sakura was one of them. She was caught in his interests that he was willing to halt everything, including the collection of the remaining tailed-beasts. She oddly pledged to reside her alliance and was accepted easily.

Including the pink-headed kunoichi to the plan didn’t make any sense. There was nothing special about her. She was just a normal kunoichi of Konoha who has brute strength and skills of the Fifth Hokage. She wasn’t part of Kekkei Genkai at all. And yet, Madara kept insisting that she was unique and precious to him. For five years, under his and Marada’s guidance, she was trained to expand her knowledge and skills- all the jutsu she has to master. There had been also certain experiments conducted to test her skills and abilities. Oddly enough, she has managed to pass them all. Perhaps she was truly a precious being to Madara after all. The only problem was _why_. Of all the people in the world, why her?

The weather changed as the boat sailed farther into the distant east. What seemed to be calm at first has slowly turned into a swirling storm as they pushed onwards with the course. The strong wind howled, generating huge waves as high as ninety feet. Multiples surging waves crashed into the boat like battering rams against the hull. The aggressive storm continued to keep thrashing them around the bridge violently. Obito tried to hold onto practically anything he could reach. He set a sight on a leather loop by the captain’s seat and gripped onto it for his dear life. If this continues, they would lose sight of the horizon, thus throwing them out of course. Or worse, they would get swallowed by the brutal sea. Suddenly, the man’s warning about dying in the rough sea seemed surreal.

“Mi lord! Please! We have to turn around!” the man screamed in fear as he held the wheel and was unsure which direction he should make the turn. Many times, he shouted to return to the dry land, and too many times Obito used his Sharingan to keep him focus and insist on moving forward.

“Keep this boat straight ahead! Let me worry about these damn waves!” he put his right hand on the man’s shoulder. He then activated his Sharingan and whispered, “Kamui…”

It took a few seconds to activate his jutsu, but with his ability, he made himself, the man and the boat impenetrable against the obstacles of the rough sea. He managed to make the boat stabled and avoid the huge wave that was coming towards them. The violent waves went straight through them as though it was nothing.

“Damn that Madara,” he cursed, “The old bastard didn’t mention to me about Mother Nature being part of the tests when crossing this cursed sea.”

The storm, not for long, quiet down. He deactivated his Sharingan once the sea was calmed enough to sail through. The sun appeared again and he knew he was in the right place.

“Cut the power, lower the anchor and follow me,” he said.

The man abided his demand. Once the engine was turned off and the anchor was released, they moved to the wooden deck. He glanced the surroundings and tried to sense if anyone was out there in the opened sea. There was nothing but a strong genjutsu weaving around the boat. It wouldn’t allow him to sense any further out. No genjutsu users, not even with Sharingan, could break the illusion wall. According to Madara, he needed something of value if he wanted to pass through.

“Go stand by the bow,” he ordered. He activated his Sharingan again and observed the man who was about to serve his full purpose.

Through Sharingan, Obito could see the full chakra flowing within the man’s body. He slid out a kunai from his sleeve and followed from behind. Once the man stood exactly where he was told, Obito grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head to the back, exposing the neck to the world.

“I pay with blood and chakra. Release me from my debt to pass!” he chanted before he slit the man’s throat. Heavy blood gushing out into the sea. After a short satisfaction, he threw the dead body into the ocean and waited.

The genjutsu was fading away, but no one was around to welcome him. He thought he had made a mistake by following Madara’s instruction until-

“Finally… A sacrifice…” A figure in black suddenly appeared on the deck. “You, sir, are a cheapskate. You sacrificed a useless chakra instead of a shinobi to pay your debt.”

The figure spoke with sweet innocent voice, though the message was meant to be a threat.

“From what I know, I only need blood and chakra to pass through. It doesn’t mention anything that it has to be a shinobi,” Obito countered.

The figure disappeared, but then appeared on the rail right beside him. Obito took the opportunity to study _this_ ally. The person was in a black suit, short, almost half of his height. The bob-cut hair was purple with a mix of violet. The face was unrecognized as it was covered in a cat-like mask.

_From the look of it, this person has to be a child_ , he thought.

“Black hair and a Sharingan,” the person spoke again, “Are you… an Uchiha?”

“It seems this isn’t the first time you’ve seen an Uchiha.”

“No, this would be the first.” The short answer was followed by silence, waiting for him to make another conversation.

“What’s your name?” he finally asked.

“Mariko. What’s yours?”

“A girl? I’m being greeted by a girl who is a genin?”

Kunai appeared-out of the blue- one near his throat and the other his eye.

“Your eyes are weird, Uchiha,” she said. Her grip on the kunai tightened, a sign that she was seriously going to kill him if he continues to treat her like a child.

_She couldn’t be more than the age of thirteen_ , he thought. Much like Sakura, this child dares to look him in the eyes. One thing was certain- little Mariko does not fear the Uchiha, or any Shinobi that would pass by.

“I am Uchiha Obito. I was sent here by my ancestor and ally, Uchiha Madara, to recruit men, under his terms and orders.”

“To bid your ancestor’s deeds?” she questioned his purpose. The kunai touched his skin and he didn’t bother about the threat. He could easily use Kamui to counter her if he wants to. He was, however, wondering if Madara has confirmed about the recruitment. The girl seemed pretty clueless about it.

“As much as I want to slit your throat, chop your body into pieces and feed it to the fishes, you’re an Uchiha,” she bluntly said, as she stood down and returned her kunai to her cute little pouch. “An Uchiha is a guest, _he_ says. And as a guest, I shall take you to him now.”

“Him?”

“You really don’t know? I guess in the Shinobi World, the term for the highest rank is ‘Kage’?” His silence gave it away and she was quick to notice it. “Hmm… It’s okay. He doesn’t know about you either.”

Mariko jumped off the boat and ran across the sea. Obito followed and kept up with her.

“Which clan are you from?” he asked.

The girl was staring ahead, refused to answer at first. In a low voice, barely audible, she replied, “I don’t belong to any clan. I’m an outcast. I worked for one clan though. They’re considered as… royals. It’s my duty to protect them.”

“And what clan would that be?”

“Are you sure you are an Uchiha? You should know about it since you are one.”

“There’s no harm in asking a question; no matter how silly it is. It’s better to know than not knowing at all. If this clan is my ally, I want to know.”

“Spoken like a true shinobi,” she chuckled, “Of course, it’s none other than the Hagoromo clan.”


	10. Chapter 10

When the little kunoichi mentioned the Hagoromo clan, Obito immediately turned speechless. He was astounded upon hearing the name that he literally tripped on himself and fell into the sea. Throughout all his travels around the world, not once has he come across a Hagoromo. He had heard of stories about it when he was a kid; such stories were passed down from the lips of Uchiha that he thought it was just old tales meant to scare the children off.

Before the existence of hidden villages, clans were formed and established; and the Hagoromo was one of the earliest existed during the war-torn era. Known for being a clan of heartless savage, they had killed their enemies in the worst manner of cruelty, that under any circumstances it was practically inhuman to anyone’s eyes. They were the ones who had fought alongside with the Uchiha clan to oppose the Senju clan in battles. A once strong and fearless ally of the Uchiha was now resided to an unknown island.

“Hold my hand,” said Mariko as she held it out to him. “You’re not one of us. You can’t see our home. It’s our first line of defense against the outsiders, especially the shinobi. If you’re not a Hagoromo or lack of the mark, you’ll not be permit to enter our land.”

Obito dreadfully took her hand as she continued to lead the way. He took a glimpse at a tattoo on the back of her hand.

“A shaded circle within an incomplete circle. Is this the Hagoromo’s symbol?” he asked.

“No, it’s a rune to assist in our third eye. It allows us to see,” she answered bluntly, and added, “well… not everything.”

“Limitation rune. Anyone can skillfully copy that mark to access this place, don’t you think?”

“That would be impossible,” she chuckled, “The mark is uniquely mixed with Hagoromo’s blood, and only with _their_ blood can men be allowed into this land.”

It wasn’t there at first. What was in his sight was no longer an opened sea. The huge island was all around a bounty of green, canopied by trees which stretched probably hundred feet high, and that it encircled a lonely mountain. Below, the undulating small hills and slopes made up most of its surroundings. It looked almost like a wall; perhaps serving its purpose as a second line of defense.

The moment Obito stepped onto the white sandy beach, he sensed something of amiss. The feeling was stronger compared to the genjutsu he felt just now; it was as though something heavy was holding his chakra down.

“You felt that,” she said. It wasn’t a question but a statement.

“What jutsu is this?” he asked and activated his Sharingan to check his body. He couldn’t activate it. He noticed Mariko’s wary eyes were calculating him carefully. The seriousness of her facial expression says it all- she could kill him anytime.

“It’s just a precaution,” she answered and curled her index finger as a gesture to follow, “come.”

They hurried across the beach to a fir tree, marking the base of the hill where the path began. The woods were covered with vines and trees, providing cool shades. Huge granites were heavily arranged along the stone path, serving a purpose in their line of defense. These granites could produce echoes of sound to act as a warning system should the enemy reach the shore.

Light from the western sky was slowly filtering through the clouds as they hiked the serpentine path. Twilight was upon them. As they hiked higher up the path, sunset crested over the nearby hills and casted shadows on the deep valleys below. He stopped himself from getting distracted and focused on his task. They hiked at a steady pace now, continually ascending the small side of the hill which oddly looked like the main entrance of a hidden village.

What caught him next was simply breathtaking.

As the last light of the sun filtered through the leaves, fireflies emerged from within the forest. They floated around like mystical lights and illuminated the path to the hidden village. Streetlights were lightened manually by two groups of young boys as they challenged each other to get the job done first. Obito soon found himself amazed by the gigantic grown trees that were as huge as tall buildings. Wooden cottages snuggly built inside and well-camouflaged into its trunks. The people of this village wore simple clothes and carried simple tools; not weapons.

 _Carpenters, engineers and farmers; these are not shinobi_ , he thought.

“Just like me, these are the lost people,” explained Mariko; believing that she must have been reading his mind, “They don’t wield chakra. They’re just normal humans who managed to survive and escape from the horrible of past wars.”

“Fugitive,” he thought out loud, and wondered why would Madara send him all the way here to recruit fugitive, knowing that these people would bring no value to victory.

“A long time ago, before your Shinobi World Wars, these people used to believe in your system. The Shinobi swore an oath to protect them in exchange for aid and support. Unfortunately, that agreement had brought more wars, bloodshed and death.”

The villagers watched his every step as he made his way through; men pushing their women and children to take shelter in the cottage as though he was a threat.

“We’ve received new badge of fugitive every year, but the numbers were staggering high during the Fourth Shinobi War. They sacrificed one shinobi in an attempt to pass through. It was unacceptable, of course. Trading lives supposed to be equally exchanged. Hence, I suggested a game of battle royale among themselves- spilling their blood and chakras into the sea as payment.

“I wasn’t born in that shinobi world of yours,” she continued. “My mother gave birth to me on that very same beach we’d passed through. There wasn’t any shinobi to pay the debt. So, my mother decided to pay with hers- a parent’s sacrifice.”

Every villager he passed by glared at him with accusing eyes; either they didn’t like the idea of outsider, or the fact they already know he was responsible for the fourth shinobi war.

Mariko mentioned that the fugitive stayed on the ground level while the Hagoromo clan lived on the high cliff. Obito couldn’t took his eyes off its natural beauty. The waterfall created a steady pattern of endless rhythm. It seemed as though it was dividing the cliff into two, allowing the fresh water from the mountain running its course through the village and escaped towards the sea. There was a dense mat of ferns and moss that gave the air an earthy smell as they climbed to the peak.

Once they have reached the peak, he found more cottages within the trunks of giant trees but the designs were more defined and beautifully crafted. The people of Hagoromo clan were mannerly dressed; men in _hakama_ and _haor_ i whereas the women in colorful kimono. This act alone separates the classes and the differential of social norm between the Hagoromo clan and the lost people.

Hushes and whispers surrounding him. Obito overheard phrases like ‘Uchiha’ and ‘Madara-dono’. Unlike the lost people, the Hagoromo clan seemed to know which bloodline he belonged to. Their non-threatening eyes followed him as he and Mariko made their entrance into the grand hall. As they took the long walk to the other end of the hall, he could see a high throne, place ten feet above the floor.

Just when Obito was about to admire the majestic throne, the grand doors on the left wing opened. A man walked with powerful stride towards them. He wore partial dragon-scaled armor on his chest and arms. A very handsome man; with well-built features and tall in his frame. The expression he gave, however, was cold and resent. Obito sensed that he was not welcome here.

“Ryūjin-sama,” Mariko greeted as she kneeled before him. Obito didn’t bother to. “I’ve brought a guest. He’s-”

“An Uchiha, I know. I felt his presence the moment he stepped into our borders. You may go, Mariko,” the man gestured to him and said, “follow me.”

What started with the left-wing entrance, ended up into multiple hallways. Two guards strictly stood on their post on every turn.

“Such etiquette from a Hagoromo, for the lack of proper introduction,” Obito commented. The man’s attitude was exactly like someone he was familiar with- Uchiha Sasuke.

“Proper introduction isn’t necessary until you make yourself known to the Lord of Hagoromo. You already know my name, and I will soon learn yours when you make your appearance to my father.”

 _Well said for an asshole_ , he thought.

“Before that, remove your silly mask,” Ryūjin commanded.

“Proper introduction isn’t necessary until _I_ make _myself_ known to the Lord of Hagoromo,” Obito quoted, ignoring the asshole’s order and moving closer in his face. “The revelation of my identity shall be known first to the Lord of Hagoromo. Showing my face to you isn’t necessary.”

Obito caught a moment of temper in Ryūjin’s green eyes. The temper was quickly replaced by a snide as he opened the iron gate to spiraling stairs. Stained wall, smell of decayed and misty air- the asshole was taking him to a dungeon to meet the Lord of Hagoromo.

Dim light casted throughout the dungeon, setting aglow on the aged walls as they made their way through. The walls were cobblestone, with moss growing from each crevice. Chains were hanging on the walls, draping with hammered metal shackles to the floor. The cold air, hung the scent of suffering and death. And on that scent of death, Obito witnessed the sight of hundreds human bodies, gruesomely impaled by black rods. Some were planted to the ground, leaving the bodies hanging on the rods itself and using gravity to drain the blood.

 _White Zetsu_ , he thought as he passed by another pile of dead bodies.

A movement in the middle of the dungeon caught his attention. Obito stood still as a man, seemed to be in the mid-fifties, approached him in a haste manner. The man tore his mask away, green eyes studying every inch of his features.

“So, it’s true then! You have returned!” The man took a step closer, “Sharingan and Rinnegan… Interesting.” He strode back to what he was doing, drag a dead body and toss it at Obito’s feet. “You look like shit, Madara! You look younger than I am, and I envy you for that, but still… you look like shit! What happened to your beautiful face?!”

 _The man is a tyrant_ , he thought and knew not to mess around in a presence of an oldest bloodline. He understood the level he stood in; the importance of showing high amount of respect to those who are above him, especially the tyrant. He glanced his surrounding once again. For now, he could confirm that the children’s stories of the Hagoromo Clan were all true.


	11. Chapter 11

The Lord of Hagoromo was covered in blood from head to toes. Artificial humans like White Zetsu couldn’t produce blood. Obito glanced around the dungeon and noticed that the impaled bodies still have their head protectors on their forehead.

_The Shinobi’s blood_ , he was certain of it. As though sacrificing wasn’t enough, the lord has busied himself with impaling and dissecting bodies of his victims.

“These white zombies with no balls tried to cross into my border for months. Aside from being talkative, they kept saying that you’re alive and younger too.” The lord decapitated Zetsu’s head with one swing of his double-edged sword. He then shoved the head to Obito. “Is this _your_ doing, Madara? Because if it is, you better give me an explanation!”

“Forgive me,” the stench of decayed corpses was getting to him, “but I’m not the person who you think I am. I’m Uchiha Obito, an ally and a descendant of Uchiha Madara. He’d asked me to come here, alone, in seeking of recruitment and reforming our alliance.”

The lord dropped Zetsu’s head. He glared at Ryūjin and ordered, “ _Remove it_.”

Ryūjin quickly clasped his hands together, forming hand seals and chanted, “Release!”

Obito immediately felt as though a heavy burden has finally lifted. He could feel the chakra rushing from the core and spread throughout his veins. He could also feel his strength returning too. The lord took a step closer and re-examined him. His eyes drawn down to his abdominal region- the source of his chakra.

“My son’s mistake,” he admitted, finally leaned back and glared at Ryūjin again. “You’ve brought a different Uchiha… here.” The lord turned his back and walked to the nearest sink, ignoring his son’s excuses. Awkward silence filled the air as he washed his arms and face. “You’re the second Uchiha who has witnessed _my_ Hell. The difference between you and Madara is that he likes what he sees and that you don’t.”

The lord approached Obito and this time, his facial expression was serious. His body was slightly bigger than Madara’s. He has an old scar from his temple down to his broad jaw. He kept his beard unshaved which made him looked more rugged and fierce. None of these truly bothers Obito except for those familiar green eyes that he couldn’t place on where he has seen it before.

“I’m Hagoromo Mizuchi, Lord of the Hagoromo Clan. The First of My Name, Protector of Hone-shima and the one who Guards the Lost People,” he introduced himself. When Obito was about to gesture a bow, he waved it away. “There’s no need for that. You’re an Uchiha; you’re like a family to us.”

They left the dungeon and made their way to one of Lord Mizuchi’s private study rooms, knowing there was an important matter to discuss. The study was not much different from his. There was, however, windows. Huge oak desk placed in the corner of the room, shelves filled with books and scrolls placed neatly by the walls.

“What was that jutsu just now?” Obito asked while the lord changed his clothes behind a screen. “It’d felt heavy; like someone had put a weight on my chakra.”

“You felt that,” the lord said bluntly, just like Mariko. “The jutsu you felt was _Mukōka no Jutsu_ , a nullification technique that can be wielded by the Hagoromo clan only. We used this jutsu mostly during battles by cutting off Shinobi’s chakra supply and then going for the direct kill. It’s the simplest technique and to be feared of at the same time.”

“Shinobi depend on their chakra to form jutsu. Nullifying the chakra from their main core will leave them nothing but Taijutsu. That’s a very dangerous technique.”

“Yet, not all shinobi can feel it when their chakra is threatened,” he chuckled and sat at his seat, insisted Obito to take his. Tea and biscuits were brought in and was immediately served. Ryūjin ordered the servant to fix the fireplace after. “As expected, Uchiha is an exception.

“So, how is Madara? Has he finally ceased scheming around? Did he manage to find _peace_? He was so talkative- about shinobi, their philosophy, peace, war and the failure system of this world until it’d gotten too bored that I slept through it all,” he laughed while Obito choked on his tea.

“He’s fine…” his voice was slightly low. Something piqued his curiosity ever since he first met the Lord of Hagoromo. “I’m sorry to intrude, but you talked as though you and Madara have known each other ages ago. How is it possible? He’s more than a century of age, whereas for you, you seem to be in your fifties.”

The lord didn’t answer his question. Instead, he was asked to share his tale of Shinobi’s life. He obliged as there was no point in refusing to share. His focus was to gain the trust of the Hagoromo and finish Madara’s damn task. He explained the tale about his life in Konoha, up to the Fourth Shinobi World War. He included the tale about a mission that nearly cost his life- the price of a scar and his right Sharingan, and how Madara had found him and saved his life.

“…Madara died, and then he was brought back to life by _Gedō- Rinne Tensei no Jutsu_ ,” Obito paused and took another sip of his tea. “He said that this world is full of things that doesn’t go as one desires. I thought that he babbled nonsensical at first. Turns out he is right about this reality. The selfish of Shinobi’s desire to which they let themselves to believe that they can achieve peace. There’s no peace when wars and hatred still exist.”

“Hmm… it seems Madara has entrusted his teachings to you. Let me ask you this, Obito, and in return you shall answer me honestly,” the lord shifted in his seat, closer. “You’ve witnessed and gone through the light and darkness of this world; you’ve seen it with your own eyes how this world changes; changes them, changes you… what makes you think that your purpose in this world will guarantee peace?”

That question has caught Obito off guard; one that could not be afford to answer it with simplicity. He glanced at Ryūjin for answer but he was too busy staring out the window. His focus went back to the lord, who was keen for an honest answer. And in that silent moment, he remembered all of Madara’s teachings- all the pain, suffering and emptiness that has led him to a life without Rin.

“Because I know the truth, I’ve seen it, and I’ve experienced it,” he answered, the tone of his voice turned serious. He then quoted what Madara had taught him, “Losing the love of my life to a human’s greed, to a scheme… it’s Hell. All of the pain, suffering and emptiness that have led me to a life without Rin… It’s Hell.” He stared at the fire. “The entire time I observed this world, I only had one goal; and that is to end the cycle of hate. If it meant to rule this world with cruelty to achieve that peace, then so be it.”

“When I see you, I see Madara. I can tell that you’re a dead ringer of him,” the lord shook his head and then sighed. “ _Nothing turns to hate so bitter as what once was love_.”

“The Hagoromo clan is one of the oldest bloodlines in the shinobi world; one who is still an _ally_ to the Uchiha,” Obito intended to focus to get his task done, “I’m here upon Madara’s request to recruit your men-”

“Madara’s love for his brother… gone… The love for this girl of yours… gone… _An Uchiha who knows love will also know hate…_ When will it end?

“Throughout my life,” the lord mumbled to himself, ignoring him and his request. “I’ve witnessed shinobi- men and women- made foolish promises and beliefs that they’re capable of seeking peace. How did they achieve peace? Through wars,” the lord scoffed. “My beloved sister was taken away by my mortal enemy; my father was killed in an old war and then I took over. During my reign, I’ve lost five of my children in battles and my wife committed suicide because of it. Now, I have one hopeless son who believes we should all march to war, spread the bloodshed and die. I don’t want to die because I have responsibility. My clan needs me here as their lord; those lost people kept coming through. I am too old, too tired and too grumpy to go to war with Madara.”

“Old?” Obito was confused. The lord was closed to Madara’s physique.

“I have reigned this forsaken land for the past eighty-five years, which makes me a hundred and five years old,” he grumbled, “Tell me, young Uchiha, those white zombies with no balls, are those his doing?”

The lord’s age sill surprised him. He nodded and said, “Madara didn’t specify the reason he’d created them. He only said they were rejected of a fail experiment. We did, however, used them for the fourth war.”

“ _Chikushō!_ ” the lord cursed. Obito might have been imagining it, but he felt a light tremor as soon as the lord slammed his fist on the armchair. “I’d entrusted my sacred treasure to him so that he could make use by absorbing chakra from it, outlive his true lifespan, amend his mistakes and then die peacefully. Instead, he happily schemed it away! You better tell that ancestor of yours to stop scheming around and return what is _mine_.”

“Yours? What sacred treasure are you talking about?”

“The _Gedō Mazō_ ; it belongs to me. Return it to me. Now.”

“I thought Madara summoned it from-”

“ _From the stone it was sealed into_. The stone’s origin is from this island. It’s something of ours; a heritage, as you may call it. It was specially sealed and cannot be summoned so easily unless one has those _Saṃsāra_ eyes as similar to Rikudō Sennin’s.”

“Look,” he interrupted; he didn’t want to meddle with broken promises or agreements between two ancient men, “my deal is to recruit your men. Now, Madara said you will listen to _one particular bloodline_ , which is obviously the Uchiha. We’re your closest and _only_ ally.”

Silence filled the room. Nobody moved. No one utter a word. The Lord of Hagoromo was reading his eyes, trying to seek the truth.

“Otōsan,” Ryūjin called as he slowly approached his old man.

“Say no further,” he held up his hand for silence. “Have the men prepare for my journey, and inform the steward to watch this place over. I’m heading to the Shinobi World. You and Mariko will join me.”

“Only the three of you?” Obito asked. “Madara requested for an army.”

“He didn’t request for an army. He requested for men,” the lord corrected him and smiled, “It seems that bloody fossil of an Uchiha has kept his promise. If what you claim is true, I would like to see it with my own eyes.

“I like you, young Uchiha, but you’ve yet to see something of value in the truth. In time, you will learn. You will see,” the lord continued as he stood and walked towards the door, leaving the study. “Aren’t you just the same as those shinobi who you’ve claimed so dearly to hate?”

“What do you mean?”

“ _The selfish of Shinobi’s desire to which they let themselves to believe that they can achieve peace_ ,” the lord smiled a devilish smile, “You pretend the death of your lover doesn’t affect you. You’re lying to yourself if you deny it. She is part of the main reason, isn’t it? The reason of your pain and suffering that hardly seem to go away. You betray, lie and kill with the intension to seek peace… just the same as those shinobi… don’t you think?”


	12. Chapter 12

The weather was bright and warm in the Land of Fire. Early morning mist began to clear the dew laden grass. Sunrise casted its rays dissipating the clouds and the penetrating lights seeping over the landscape. The air was very clear now. Animals in the woods stirred to their daily routine. The tranquility of this place can easily ease anyone’s mind.

“Such troublesome friend you have there, Naruto,” Shikamaru complained.

Unfortunately, the road home was alive to the sound of bickering men. Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru had just passed the country’s borders. Sasuke led the front, as usual, pretending to ignore Shikamaru’s list of complains and nags about risking the laws of diplomacy and the alliance that has involved not two but three villages.

“You. Ignorant. Ass!” he shouted, but Sasuke simply waved it away. “Do you even care what you’d done?! Oi, Naruto! You better talk sense with this guy!”

Escaped from the secret volt in Shinkirōgakure while carrying a bag of scrolls was simple. Compelling the weak guards to forget their faces and proceed as though nothing had happened was an easy breakout. The study of the scrolls, however, was difficult. They had been tossing and turning, trying to figure out the meaning of the symbols. Sasuke, on the other hand, had maintained his composure and cool, studying its contents and writing down notes.

Until stress had caught up to them.

Naruto understood that they have their own punching bags when it comes to stress. While others rather leashed their anger onto someone, Sasuke preferred to conceal his. He might seem patience on the outside, but on the inside, his anger was like a sleeping volcano waiting to erupt. The stress caused him to reach his limits that on the fits of his tantrums, he did the silliest thing by setting a few scrolls on fire and claiming that he was bored.

“Shoving scrolls to our faces and then demanding us to study it is not a nice way to ask for help!” he complained further, putting down his bag. Everyone stopped and took a break. “I don’t understand the need to steal these scrolls! We’d spent every day, with the help of Kurama’s, trying to decipher these damn codes of symbols. And what do we get in return? No answers and more cold shoulders from you! Two weeks! Two bloody weeks without a damn explanation! Even the Gods doesn’t have such patience!”

“No one does,” Naruto added while scratching his head. “I understand your demand for the truth but pressuring Sasuke right now isn’t the best idea.”

Shikamaru wouldn’t take no for an answer. He stepped forward, stopping Sasuke in his pace. His dark eyes challenged to those of the Uchiha’s.

“You will listen,” he demanded, “Too many times I’ve been ignored by you. You can fool those villages, you can fool Naruto but you’re not going to fool me. What you did was wrong. Had your fish friend gotten capture, terms won’t sit well with Konoha. You could have jeopardized everything that we’ve built and stood for.”

“Suigetsu could have been captured had he been on his own. To have him teaming up with you reduced those chances to none. In the end, no one get caught, hurt or dies. You did your job, now get over it,” Sasuke argued sarcastically.

“Are you even listening to yourself? You think you can pass yourself as a Kage with that attitude of yours? I am _never_ ,” he emphasized, earning himself the infamous Uchiha’s glare, “going to acknowledge you. No one will.”

**_This is bad… There’s tension between them… Naruto-yo, you have to do something…_ **

Naruto threw a kunai directly at Sasuke. The Uchiha deflected it with his Kusanagi sword. The kunai dropped to the ground with a thud.

“Back away, Shikamaru,” he warned and his friend obliged, suddenly jumped and stood behind him. There was nothing but brooding silence. “You want to burn our nakama with your _Amaterasu_? You do realize that you owed him an explanation.”

“Tempted to,” Sasuke scoffed. His eyes focused on the horizon, in the direction of Konoha. “I don’t owe anyone.”

“You owe _me_ an explanation,” he emphasized with a calming voice, decided to be straight forward when facing his no-mood-to-talk friend. “You, Sakura-chan and I, we’re Team Seven. You can’t do this by yourself. I know you want to seek her, but you forget that everyone in Konoha does too. It’s better to work as a team to go up against those bastards.”

“This has nothing to do with you,” Sasuke spoke and walked away.

Naruto remembered the very last moment of Sakura. Before she was taken, Madara had been busy extracting the tailed-beasts out of Uncle Bee and him. The jutsu was too strong for them to counter, but when the pull stopped, he immediately thought that Madara was finally killed and the war was finally won. What he had witnessed next shock him the most. There, in front of Madara stood Sakura, his fingers wrapping around her neck. The chakra cloak on her was gone, absorbed by the enemy. A mix of panic, fear and rage whirled inside him that he immediately ran towards them- towards her- without a second thought. Kurama had warned him not to get close as it might have been a trap. He chose to ignore it and was about to use the Rasengan when Madara pushed him with _Shinra Tensei_ \- one of Pain’s jutsu. He reached out for Sakura, using his strength to pull her to him. Unfortunately, she was pulled back by the Uchiha and was casted away by another almighty push directly, this time, to his chest. Her fingers were barely in his grasp and before he was deflected away, he saw her tears and heard her last words to him- _I’m sorry_.

“Bullshit,” he called in a low trembling voice, “if it has nothing to do with me, the both of you wouldn’t have talked about me before she was taken away. We’re not kids anymore, Sasuke. You, of all, should understand how hurtful it is to be lied to. Day after day, month after month, year after year, I’ve waited for any news about her. Words circulating of her death fear me the most, and I held my prayers in hope that she is still alive, well and safe. I’ve searched for her across five countries and not once I’m closed to finding her. You, on the other hand, can’t even tell it to my face that I’ve wasted my effort, and that you’ve been holding the truth all along. Where is the trust in that?”

His sharp blue eyes firmly judged by those dark ones.

“Funny when you mentioned _trust_ ,” Sasuke put a hand on his hip as his head tilted to the side. “You don’t seem to trust her strength.”

“Of course, I do! She’s strong and smart. She’s-”

“I’m not talking about _that_ kind of strength,” he interrupted. “I’m talking about her strength of will to fight. You’ve claimed that we’re a team and yet, you tend to forget who she really is. Sakura isn’t just a member of ours. She’s a kunoichi; she fights.”

“She’s a medical ninja. She mustn’t get hurt.”

“Is that the _only_ reason why you had told her to stand at the back of the line while others moving forward into battle during the fourth war? So that no one could hurt her? Naruto, even before she turned into a medical ninja, I’ve never once doubted her will to fight.”

“You barely know her,” he said, tightly clenching his fist. “She may look tough to carry all the burden but she’s just a girl who-”

“That’s the whole point, isn’t it? You still see her as a girl and no more,” Sasuke flipped the thrown kunai in the air with his sword and threw it back at him. He caught it with his bare hand. The kunai cut his skin and he allowed it to bleed. “Stop burden yourself with regret and trust in her will to fight.”

“You’d said that she has a plan and that she would know what to do,” Naruto pointed out. His voice was now as cold as ice. “And as much as the both of you plan to keep the truth away from me, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m part of _that_ conversation. You already know this, Sasuke, the moment she had spoken my name, I’m already involved. Don’t fucking shut me out.”

The curse word shocked both of his friends; and they knew that he was dead serious. The Uchiha was looking at the horizon again, towards Konoha, his back facing him.

“The riddle of the symbolic seal must be answered. It’s too difficult to handle this alone,” Sasuke admitted, biting his lips as his mind was put into a deep thought. “If you insist, I’ll share what I know, but this has to be kept between us. I can’t risk its exposure; I can’t risk her.”

The Uchiha’s onyx eyes focused from him to Shikamaru. They nodded to each other in mutual respect, understanding that the information which was about to be given must never be leaked.

“Not here,” Sasuke held up his hand and shook his head. “Let’s head back to Konoha.”

* * *

A soft knock on the door interrupted him in the middle of his studies. Orochimaru looked up to see Tsunade, holding a small parcel.

“Why am I not surprised that you’re still up?” she asked, placing the parcel on the table.

He averted his eyes back to his notes. “You know me well that if something has caught my interest, I will get into my zone no matter what the time is.”

She took a seat opposite of him, warning him at the same time not to scheme around. Such words earned his slithering glare and the beloved Tsunade gladly countered it with hers. As the granddaughter of the First, with beauty and strength, he could understand the reason now why Jiraiya had chosen her to be the next Hokage.

“Is that it?” he pointed to the parcel on the table. “Is that from the young Kazekage?”

“Yes, it’s the one you’d mentioned and asked for.” She sighed. I still don’t understand your theory though.”

“No one does. In fact, I might be wrong,” he admitted.

“Orochimaru, do understand the reason you’re allowed to stay in my residence. Since you’re an expert of understanding unique bloodlines and my grandfather’s cell, I need you to find a way to defeat the still living and breathing Madara.”

“An order under the watchful eyes of your men, I assumed, for security reason?” he teased and then focused on the parcel in front of him. “Something so simple cannot be a coincidence. If my theory on Rikudō Sennin is correct, this little box may be the answer to defeat Madara.”

“I can’t open it,” she confessed.

“What?”

“The box cannot be opened, even with all my strength.”

_Even the smallest thing can change the course of this world_ , he thought. He took the box and studied it closer. His lips pursed, feeling the disappointment at how small it is. Then again, if the box couldn’t be forcefully opened, even by a brutal strength, this ought to count for something.

“If you can’t open it, this means that the box is sealed with a jutsu, but,” he twirled the box several times in different direction, “there’s none. I don’t see it.”

“There must be a way.”

“There has to be. This would be an interesting challenge,” he studied the box again. Something about it screamed mystery. “How to open a lock if we can’t even see one?”

“Orochimaru,” she called with a serious tone in her voice. She gestured to his desk which was filled with books, scrolls and notes. “I think it’s best to send your protégé to Ryūchi Cave for further trainings. I believe you’ll be quite busy with research and all.”

“I agree with you. Besides, he needs to be prepared just in case that Madara shows up.”


End file.
